List of Morecambe F.C. seasons

Morecambe Football Club is an English football club based in Morecambe, Lancashire. It plays its football in League Two, the fourth tier of English football, having been promoted in 2007 for the first time in their history to the Football League, and again in 2021.

In 2023, they were relegated, for the first time in their history, back to League Two. At the time, they were the last of the 92 Premier League and Football League clubs to suffer a relegation.

History

Football in the town dates back to the turn of the 20th century; however, it was not until 7 May 1920 that Morecambe FC was formed after a meeting at the local West View Hotel. The club then took its place in the Lancashire Combination League for the 1920–21 season. At the end of the first season the club moved grounds to Roseberry Park. A few years later after the purchase of the ground by the then-President, Mr. J.B. Christie, the ground's name was changed to Christie Park, in his honour. Those early seasons proved difficult and it was not until 1924–25 that the club began to enjoy some success, claiming the league title for the first time; this was later followed by success in the Lancashire Junior Cup, beating old rivals Chorley after two replays, and in front of over 30,000 spectators.

Mr. Christie bequeathed the ground to the club in 1927 and also helped incorporate the club into a Limited Company with a then share capital of £1,000. The rest of the 1920s and the whole of the 1930s saw a constant struggle to keep football alive on the North West coast, with poor results on the field and little or no revenue off the field, a near certain recipe for disaster.

The post-war era saw an upturn in the Shrimps' fortunes with steady progress throughout the late 1940s and nearly all the 1950s. These years included an FA Cup third round appearance in 1961–62, a 1–0 defeat to Weymouth; a Lancashire Senior Cup Final victory in 1968, a 2–1 win over Burnley and an FA Trophy success at Wembley in 1974, a 2–1 win over Dartford in the final.

The next decade were as barren as any previous period in the club's history, with the Grim Reaper never far from the Christie Park door. Attendances fell from a creditable 2,000 plus to a miserable 200 minus, with a visible decline in the club fortunes during that period. However, in 1985–86, signs of improvement appeared: the club's league position improved and cup success over the next few years filled the club with optimism.

It took ten years of continual improvement both on and off the field to reach the club's ambition of promotion to the Football Conference after many further improvements, not only to the ground but also regarding the club's structure, giving the club the opportunity to confidently look forward as one of the more progressive Conference clubs.

Since elevation to the Conference in season 1995–96, the Shrimps achieved status as one of the leading teams in the league. In fact, only Woking had a longer unbroken membership of the league at this time. Runners-up spot was claimed on one occasion and the play-offs places were narrowly missed twice. Also during this time, the club also equalled its best appearance in the FA Cup in both 2000–01 and 2002–03. On both occasions the club faced Ipswich Town, losing 3–0 and 4–0 respectively. Morecambe also defeated a few league clubs in the FA Cup, including Cambridge United in 2000–01 and Chesterfield in 2002–03.

Morecambe were promoted to the Football League for the first time in their history after winning the Conference Playoff Final, beating Exeter City 2–1 at Wembley on 20 May 2007, in front of over 40,000 fans which followed their semi-final victory over York City.^[1]

On 17 July 2007, Morecambe announced plans to move to a new stadium in time for the start of the 2009–10 season. Work did not commence on the proposed site until spring 2009 with an anticipated completion date of summer 2010.^[2]

Morecambe played their first game in the Football League against Barnet at Christie Park in August 2007, in which they played out a 0–0 draw to secure their first ever Football League point.^[3]

2009–10 was Morecambe's last season at Christie Park. They finished the season in fourth place, qualifying for the playoffs, where they lost 7–2 on aggregate to Dagenham & Redbridge. On 10 August 2010, Morecambe played their first match at the Globe Arena against Championship side Coventry City in the League Cup first round. Morecambe secured a 2–0 win, with Andy Fleming scoring the first two goals at the stadium. This earned Morecambe a Lancashire Derby in the second round against another Championship side, Burnley, where they lost 3–1.

Key

Key to league record Level = Level of the league in the current league system Pld = Games played W = Games won D = Games drawn L = Games lost GF = Goals for GA = Goals against GD = Goals difference Pts = Points Position = Position in the final league table Top scorer and number of goals scored shown in bold when he was also top scorer for the division.

Key to cup records Res = Final reached round Rec = Final club record in the form of wins-draws-losses PR = Preliminary round QR1 (2, etc.) = Qualifying Cup rounds G = Group stage R1 (2, etc.) = Proper Cup rounds QF = Quarter-finalists SF = Semi-finalists F = Finalists A (QF, SF, F) = Area quarter-, semi-, finalists W = Winners

Seasons

Year	League	Lvl	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Position	Leading league scorer^[4]		FA Cup		EFL Cup FA Trophy		EFL Trophy		Average home attendance^[5]^[a]
												Name	Goals	Res	Rec	Res	Rec	Res	Rec
1920–21	Lancashire Combination		34	10	5	19	58	83	-25	25	13th of 18			PR	0-1-1
1921–22			34	10	6	18	36	56	-20	26	14th of 18			PR	0-1-1
1922–23			34	9	8	17	41	60	-19	26	15th of 18			QR3	3-1-1
1923–24			38	15	5	18	60	63	-3	35	15th of 20			QR3	3-1-1
1924–25			36	24	7	5	88	31	+57	55	1st of 19			QR1	1-0-1
1925–26			38	21	10	7	103	58	+45	52	2nd of 20			QR1	2-1-1
1926–27			38	23	4	11	105	58	+47	50	3rd of 20			QR1	1-0-1
1927–28			38	17	6	15	92	72	+20	40	8th of 20			QR1	1-0-1
1928–29			38	20	2	16	89	73	+16	42	10th of 20			QR3	3-0-1
1929–30			38	12	7	19	74	111	-37	31	14th of 20			PR	0-0-1
1930–31			38	12	8	18	76	97	-21	32	16th of 20
1931–32			36	6	6	24	41	93	-52	18	18th of 19			PR	0-0-1
1932–33			38	11	10	17	68	84	-26	32	14th of 20			QR3	2-1-1
1933–34			38	9	9	20	65	101	-36	27	18th of 20			QR1	0-0-1
1934–35			38	17	5	16	63	60	+3	39	8th of 20			QR2	2-0-1
1935–36			40	19	9	12	78	65	+13	47	6th of 21			QR1	0-0-1
1936–37			40	17	10	13	95	75	+20	44	10th of 21			R1	5-2-1
1937–38			42	21	10	11	90	70	+20	52	6th of 22			QR1	0-1-1
1938–39			42	14	10	18	67	76	-9	38	15th of 22			QR1	1-0-1
No competitive football was played between 1939 and 1945 due to the World War II.
1945–46	Lancashire Combination		22	6	6	10	54	68	-14	18	9th of 12
1946–47			42	23	5	14	133	85	+48	51	4th of 22			QR1	1-0-1
1947–48			42	24	6	12	98	59	+39	54	4th of 22			QR2	2-0-1
1948–49			42	22	6	14	80	60	+20	50	3rd of 22			PR	0-0-1
1949–50			42	17	11	14	62	55	+7	45	9th of 22			PR	0-0-1
1950–51			42	12	12	18	56	73	-17	36	15th of 22			PR	0-0-1
1951–52			42	21	7	14	74	72	+2	49	5th of 22			QR1	0-1-1
1952–53			42	16	9	17	60	61	-1	41	11th of 22			QR3	2-0-1
1953–54			40	14	6	20	58	83	-25	34	19th of 21			QR3	2-0-1
1954–55			42	18	8	16	68	65	+3	44	9th of 22			QR1	0-1-1
1955–56			38	12	5	21	62	94	-32	29	17th of 20			QR1	0-0-1
1956–57			38	20	7	11	81	53	+28	47	3rd of 20			R1	0-0-0
1957–58			42	18	12	12	66	50	+16	48	7th of 22			QR4	3-0-1
1958–59			42	22	9	11	77	44	+33	53	5th of 22			R1	4-0-1
1959–60			42	28	2	12	103	54	+49	58	4th of 22			QR1	0-0-1
1960–61			42	23	5	14	96	76	+20	51	6th of 22			QR3	2-1-1
1961–62			42	32	6	4	143	51	+92	70	1st of 22			R3	6-0-1
1962–63			42	31	6	5	153	40	+113	68	1st of 22			R1	1-0-1
1963–64			42	19	8	15	93	71	+22	46	10th of 22			QR4	0-0-1
1964–65			42	30	2	10	132	50	+82	62	3rd of 22			QR3	2-0-1
1965–66			42	19	12	11	105	65	+50	50	7th of 22			QR2	1-0-1
1966–67			41	30	9	2	90	24	+66	69	1st of 22			R1	4-3-1
1967–68			42	28	9	5	112	41	+71	65	1st of 22			QR4	0-0-1
Northern Premier League created. Club transferred to the newly created league.
1968–69	Northern Premier League	5	38	16	14	8	64	37	+27	46	3rd of 20			R2	5-0-1
1969–70			38	10	13	15	41	51	-10	33	15th of 20			QR4	0-0-1	R1	0-0-1
1970–71			42	11	11	17	67	79	-12	39	12th of 22			QR1	0-0-1	QR3	0-0-1
1971–72			46	15	10	21	51	64	-13	40	17th of 24			QR2	1-1-1	R3	5-0-1
1972–73			46	17	11	18	62	70	-8	45	15th of 24			QR1	0-0-1	QF	4-3-1
1973–74			46	13	13	20	62	84	-22	39	17th of 24			QR1	0-1-1	W	7-1-0
1974–75			46	14	15	17	71	87	-16	43	13th of 24			R1	0-0-1	R2	1-0-1
1975–76			46	11	11	24	47	67	-20	33	20th of 24			R1	1-1-1	R3	2-1-1
1976–77			44	13	11	20	59	75	-16	37	15th of 23			R1	1-0-1	QF	3-2-1
1977–78			46	11	11	24	67	92	-25	33	21st of 24			QR4	0-1-1	R1	0-0-1
1978–79			44	11	13	20	55	65	-10	35	18th of 23			R1	1-0-1	R1	0-0-1
			Level of the league decreased after the Alliance Premier League creation.
1979–80		6	42	10	12	20	40	59	-19	32	17th of 22			R1	1-1-1	R2	2-0-1
1980–81			42	11	8	23	42	74	-32	30	21st of 22			QR4	0-0-1	R1	1-1-1
1981–82			42	9	11	22	43	86	-43	29	20th of 22			QR1	0-0-1	QR3	0-0-1
1982–83			42	16	11	15	75	66	+9	59	13th of 22			QR3	3-1-1	QR3	0-0-1
1983–84			42	11	12	19	59	75	-16	45	19th of 22			QR2	1-1-1	QR2	1-2-1
1984–85			42	11	14	17	51	67	-16	47	18th of 22			QR1	0-0-1	R1	3-0-1
1985–86			42	17	17	8	59	39	+20	68	3rd of 22			R1	4-2-1	R1	4-1-1
1986–87			42	20	12	10	66	49	+17	72	6th of 22			QR3	2-0-1	R1	1-0-1
1987–88			42	19	15	8	61	41	+20	72	4th of 22			QR1	0-0-1	QR3	0-0-1
1988–89			42	13	9	20	55	60	-5	47	16th of 22			QR3	2-2-1	QR3	0-1-1
1989–90			42	15	9	18	58	70	-12	54	15th of 22			QR1	0-0-1	QR1	0-0-1
1990–91			40	19	16	5	72	44	+28	73	3rd of 21			QR1	0-1-1	QR3	2-0-1
1991–92			42	21	13	8	70	44	+26	76	3rd of 22			R1	4-0-1	R3	3-2-1
1992–93			42	25	11	6	93	51	+42	86	3rd of 22			QR1	0-0-1	R2	2-2-1
1993–94			42	20	7	15	90	56	+34	67	7th of 22			QR4	3-0-1	QF	3-0-1
1994–95			42	28	10	4	99	34	+65	94	2nd of 22			QR4	3-0-1	R3	2-0-1
			Promoted.^[b]
1995–96	Conference Premier	5	42	17	8	17	78	72	+6	59	9th of 22			QR4	3-0-1	R1	0-1-1			1,130
1996–97			42	19	9	14	69	56	+13	66	4th of 22			R1	4-2-1	R3	2-1-1			1,010
1997–98			42	21	10	11	77	64	+13	73	5th of 22			R1	1-2-0	R2	1-0-1			1,532
1998–99			42	15	8	19	60	76	-16	53	14th of 22			QR4	1-0-1	R2	0-0-1			1,163
1999–2000			42	18	16	8	70	48	+22	70	3rd of 22	Justin Jackson	29	R1	1-0-1	R3	1-0-1			1,493
2000–01			42	11	12	19	64	66	-2	45	19th of 22	Phil Eastwood John Norman	10	R3	3-0-1	R5	2-4-0	R1	0-0-1	1,243
2001–02			42	17	11	14	63	67	-4	62	6th of 22	Robbie Talbot	15	R1	1-0-1	SF	4-1-2			1,289
2002–03			42	23	9	10	86	42	+44	78	2nd of 22	Wayne Curtis	18	R3	3-0-1	R4	1-0-1	R1	0-0-1	1,462
			Lost in the play-off semi-finals.
2003–04			42	20	7	15	66	66	0	67	7th of 22	Danny Carlton	17	QR4	0-0-1	R3	0-0-1	R1	0-0-1	1,781
2004–05			42	19	14	9	69	50	+19	71	7th of 22	Michael Twiss	22	R1	1-0-1	R5	2-0-1	R1	0-0-1	1,751
2005–06			42	22	8	12	68	41	+27	74	5th of 22	Danny Carlton	17	R1	1-0-1	R2	1-0-1	R2	0-1-1	1,780
			Lost in the play-off semi-finals.
2006–07			46	23	12	11	64	46	+18	81	3rd of 24	Garry Thompson	11	R2	2-0-1	R3	2-1-1			1,598
			Promoted after winning the Play-off Final.
2007–08	EFL League Two	4	46	16	12	18	59	63	-4	60	11th of 24	Carl Baker Matthew Blinkhorn	10	R1	0-0-1	R3	2-0-1	AF	2-3-1	2,812
2008–09			46	15	18	13	53	56	-3	63	11th of 24	Stewart Drummond Rene Howe	10	R2	1-0-1	R1	0-0-1	AQF	0-2-1	2,153
2009–10			46	20	13	13	73	64	+9	73	4th of 24	Phil Jevons	18	R1	0-1-1	R1	0-0-1	R1	0-1-0	2,262
			Lost in the play-off semi-finals.
2010–11			46	13	12	21	54	73	-19	51	20th of 24	Phil Jevons Jimmy Spencer	8	R1	0-0-1	R2	1-0-1	R1	0-0-1	2,648
2011–12			46	14	14	18	63	57	+6	56	15th of 24	Kevin Ellison	15	R1	0-0-1	R2	1-0-1	R2	0-1-0	2,144
2012–13			46	15	13	18	55	61	-6	58	16th of 24	Jack Redshaw	15	R2	1-1-1	R2	1-0-1	R2	1-0-1	1,954
2013–14			46	13	15	18	52	64	-12	54	18th of 24	Pádraig Amond	11	R1	0-0-1	R2	1-0-1	R2	0-1-0	1,939
2014–15			46	17	12	17	53	52	+1	63	11th of 24	Kevin Ellison Jack Redshaw	11	R1	0-0-1	R1	0-0-1	R2	1-0-1	1,998
2015–16			46	12	10	24	69	91	-22	46	21st of 24	Shaun Miller	15	R1	0-1-1	R1	0-0-1	ASF	3-0-1	1,572
2016–17			46	14	10	22	53	73	-20	52	18th of 24	Kevin Ellison Paul Mullin	8	R1	0-1-1	R2	1-0-1	R2	1-2-1	1,704
2017–18			46	9	19	18	41	56	-15	46	22nd of 24	Callum Lang	10	R2	1-0-1	R1	0-0-1	GS	0-1-2	1,492
2018–19			46	14	12	20	54	70	-16	54	18th of 24	Aaron Collins	8	R1	0-1-1	R1	0-0-1	GS	0-0-3	2,033
2019–20			37	7	11	19	35	60	-25	32	22nd of 24	Cole Stockton Lewis Alessandra	5	R1	0-0-1	R2	1-0-1	GS	1-1-1	2,264
2020–21			46	23	9	14	69	58	+11	78	4th of 24	Carlos Mendes Gomes	15	R3	2-0-1	R3	1-1-1	GS	1-0-2	0^[c]^[6]
			Promoted after winning the Play-off Final.
2021–22	EFL League One	3	46	10	12	24	57	88	-31	42	19th of 24	Cole Stockton	23	R3	2-0-1	R2	1-0-1	GS	0-1-2	4,310
2022–23			46	10	14	22	47	78	-31	44	22nd of 24	Cole Stockton	11	R1	0-0-1	R3	1-1-1	R2	0-3-1	4,572
			Relegated to EFL League Two.

1. Average home attendance = for league games only
2. Finished four points behind Marine, however Marine were not promoted due to ground grading standards.
3. Entire regular season played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however approximately 1,500 did attend the home leg of the Play-off semi-final.

References

1. "Exeter 1–2 Morecambe". BBC Sport. 20 May 2007. Retrieved 20 May 2007.
2. . Morecambe FC. 17 July 2007. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 17 July 2007.
3. "Morecambe 0–0 Barnet". BBC Sport. 11 August 2007. Retrieved 14 August 2007.
4. "Morecambe FC club details". Soccerbase. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
5. "English non-league attendances archive". EFS. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
6. "Morecambe 1–1 Tranmere Rovers". BBC Sport. 23 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.