Morecambe FC’s Wembley heroes have been recalling the day the Shrimps won promotion to League One, on the first anniversary of the play off final.
A hot day in the capital saw a penalty by Carlos Mendes-Gomes in extra time propel the Shrimps into League One for the first time in their history, thanks to a 1-0 victory over Newport County.
Now, one year on, Derek Adams’ men can look forward to a historic second season in English football’s third tier, after beating the odds once again to avoid relegation back into League Two.
May 31st, 2021, was an emotional day at Wembley, epitomised by the manager’s now legendary post-match interview quote, when asked if perhaps the decision from referee Bobby Madley to award his side a penalty wasn’t the right decision. His words have been ringing in the ears of thousands of Morecambe fans since – ‘’I have no sympathy for them…..sometimes in life, justice, and that was justice.’’
The Shrimps have now released a video looking back at the momentous occasion of twelve months ago.
‘’We were confident, the players had shown their qualities through the season’’, manager, Derek Adams recalls on the video, which you can watch on the Club’s website and social media channels.
‘’It was a hot day. We got off to a good start. We had flare in the side and were solid.
‘’We’d practiced penalties leading up to the game, and we agreed Carlos would take if we had one in the game.
‘’He took the penalty so confidently. It was perfect.
‘’We had strong players in the team. Players who understood what it needed tactically. As a manager, I was confident. It was a terrific achievement. It meant so much to so many people.''
Defender Sam Lavelle captained the side, in what proved to be one of his final games for the Club. He would leave for Charlton Athletic at the end of the transfer window in August.
‘’I remember looking at the pitch and thinking ‘what are we doing here’, taking it all in. I knew how big the moment was’’, he said.
‘’The game pretty much went to plan. But it was so hot, the hottest I’ve played in. I think that was part of the reason it was 0-0 at 90 minutes.
‘’Extra time was just a case of sticking to the plan.
‘’As soon as the ball hit the net, I knew it was the winning goal. It was the best feeling I’ve ever had in football.
‘’We were fit, we were hungry. The experiences of the season helped us and few things also went our way on the day.
‘’I’d been on a massive journey with Morecambe and there was massive relief at the final whistle. It was emotional (defying the odds). The Club kick started my whole career.
‘’I was proud to captain the side to promotion to League One. It was the perfect way to end my time with the Club.
It was also the last game in a Morecambe shirt for matchwinner, Carlos Mendes-Gomes, who had played a pivotal role in getting the Shrimps so far, with his performances earning him a move to Championship side, Luton Town.
‘’We spoke about promotion all season. Once we knew we were going to Wembley, we felt we deserved to be there and wanted to give ourselves the best chance’’, Carlos said.
‘’I tried to just focus on the game. Playing there made me feel special. I was excited.
‘’I remember thinking we wouldn’t get many chances to score and whoever scored first would probably win.
‘’Sam told me to look at the fans (in extra time) and he told me I’d score the winner in front of them.
‘’I remember the build-up (to the penalty). I passed the ball (to Brad Lyons) on the edge of box, he played in John (O’Sullivan), and the ref awarded the penalty.
‘’I tried not to put any pressure on myself and as I put the ball on the spot tried to zone out.
‘’I tried to give the keeper ‘the eyes’ and put it in the opposite side, and it went well!
‘’It was an amazing feeling and one I’ll be proud to show my kids.
‘’We had one of the best squads in the League, but because we were Morecambe FC, people thought we shouldn’t be there. But we proved that hard work means you can achieve anything.’’
A huge thanks to Matt Smith and the Morecambe FC media team for their support with this article.
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