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Although the competition is
currently suspended, the Lancashire Senior Cup has a proud history, a
competition that, within Lancashire, was before the proliferation of
the various "new" competitions over the last 20-30 years,
viewed as only second to the the FA Cup in pecking order of cup
competitions. For Morecambe therefore, to be the only non-league team
to have reached two finals and won one of them is a record of which
the club can be justifiable proud.
Morecambe's links with the Senior
Cup, which is a magnificent trophy, and can be viewed at the
Lancashire FA headquarters at Leyland, started back in 1963. The club
as champions of the Lancashire Combination were invited to join with
Lancashire's 15 league clubs and contest that season's trophy.
The rules of the competition, regarding playing strength, were as
follows: 3rd and 4th division clubs had to put out a full strength
team, with 2nd and 1st division teams had to play a reserve team,
that included 4 players with "substantial" first team
experience. Therefore, you can see the enormity of Morecambe's task
over the next 10 years, bearing this in mind, you will understand how
well the Shrimps acquitted themselves over this period. On
November 4th Manchester City provided the opposition, at Christie
Park for Morecambe's first ever Lancashire Senior Cup tie. Had it not
been for the legendary German goalkeeper, Bert Trautman, the first
division side would have suffered an embarrassing defeat, as almost
single handedly he kept the rampant Shrimps at bay. A 1-4 defeat in
front of a healthy crowd of 2,300 did not bear justice to the efforts
of the Morecambe team.
3 years later, again as champions
of the Combination, the club were invited to take part. Bolton
Wanderers provided the Christie opposition on a Thursday night in
October, and the Shrimps, playing in their "floodlight" kit
of all sky blue, beat the Trotters with goals from Borrowdale and
Holding. 3rd division Barrow came to Morecambe in the next round,
with a travelling support of over 1,500, and amidst outbreaks of
terrace violence, won 2-1, with Paul Scott, scoring the home goal.
The question had been asked over
the last 5 years, since the Combination Champions had been invited to
participate in the Senior Cup, was could a Combination team win the
Cup? The league clubs doubted it very much! In 1967-68 season
Morecambe were to prove them all wrong, and they had to do it the
hard way. Blackburn Rovers came to Christie Park on December 5th
1967, with all bar one of the 1st team. Keith Newton was missing from
the left back spot, but only because he was away representing England
! Steve Porter, (father of current player Alex Porter) and Bobby
Hough scored the goals that gave them a 2-1 victory and an away draw
at rivals Netherfield . A hard fought 1-0 victory was earned with the
"baby faced executioner" (as the Visitor described
him) Arnold Timmins scoring the vital goal. 2nd Division Bury, came
to Christie Park with a full 1st team and whilst dominating for the
majority of the game, could not breach the Shrimps rearguard of
Millard, Varcoe, Baldwin Porter and Halstead. An own goal from Bury
defender Bobby Saile gave the non-leaguers a place in the semi
finals. Promotion chasing Oldham Athletic at Boundary Park stood in
the way of a historic final date for the part-timers from the
Lancashire Coast. After a goalless first half, and with only 14
minutes remaining, Arnold Timmins, no doubt to the surprise of
himself and the 1500 plus Morecambe fans gathered behind the goal
that the reds were attacking, found himself in acres of space and
neatly slotted home. 1-0 to the Morecambe. It was to remain like
that. History beckoned.
Bob Lord's Burnley, winners of the
FA Youth Cup, would provide the opposition. The town was expectant.
Morecambe on the point of leaving the Combination for the new
pastures of the Northern Premier League could write their name into
the history books. This they did with a deserved 2-1 victory, amid
scenes of great rejoicing by the majority in the crowd of nearly
4,500. Bob Lord, the Burnley Chairman, and Harry Potts, the
Burnley manager, praised the club wholeheartedly.
Morecambe's own butcher Chairman,
Robert Altham, said, "This is my proudest moment in
football" The celebrations went on long into the night! For the
record the two teams lined up as follows.
Morecambe. Lance Millard, Derek
Varcoe, Bob Baldwin, Steve Porter, David Halstead; Gerry Irving,
Denis Crompton; Johnny Martin (sub Stuart Holding) Keith Borrowdale,
Arnold Timmons and Charlie Lea.
Burnley, Rod Jones, Fred Smith,
Mick Buxton, Arthur Bellamy, (sub Stan Ternant), Dave Merrington, (to
be Morecambe's shortest reigning manager, 16 hours) Len Kinsella,
Ralph Coates, Frank Casper, Martin Dobson, Dave Thomas, and Steve Kindon.
When you consider that 4 of the
Burnley team became full internationals, and that collectively they
made just under 2,000 appearance for the Clarets, all mainly in the
1st division, it shows just what a night it was for all involved.
Further involvement in the Senior
Cup came in seasons 1668-69, lost 1-2 at Maine Road 2-1, lost by the
same score at home to Netherfield the following season, with the K
shoe men inflicting another defeat the in 1970-71 season. Missing out
on san invitation in 1971-72, the Shrimps returned in 1972-7, beating
Barrow, 2-0 with goals from Done and Sutton before losing to eventual
winners Liverpool, 1-2 at Christie Park.
Season 1973-1974 will always be
indelibly etched in the mind of all Morecambe fans for the glorious
triumph in the FA Trophy, yet it may well have been even better. Had
not the backlog of fixtures, built up not only by the club's
success in the trophy but also by 3 replays in the Senior Cup, caught
up with the fitness of the players, even further glory could well
have been Morecambe's. After beating Everton, 3-1 in a replay only 4
days after the Wembley triumph, and then accounting for Manchester
United 7 days later in a 1-0 victory witnessed by 3,014 spectators,
the weary and overworked players finally succumbed to Manchester City
0-3 on Friday May 11th in front of 3,221.
The Shrimps have been invited to
participate in the Senior Cup on one occasion since then. In 1996-97,
when it was run as a mini league prior to the start of the season,
the club played Blackpool at home lost 2-3, after being 2-0 up, and
in the second game overcame Rochdale 1-0. Due to Blackpool gaining an
extra point for scoring 3 goals the Shrimps failed to qualify for the
next stage of the competition
1967-68
RD 1 DEC 5
BLACKBURN
ROVERS
HOME
2-1
1,600 PORTER, HOUGH
RD 2 JAN
18
NETHERFIELD
AWAY
1-0
1,365 TIMMINS
RD 3 MAR
12
BURY
HOME
1-0
3,000 SAILE OG
SF
APR 22 OLDHAM
ATHLETIC
AWAY
1-0
TIMMINS
F
MAY 12
BURNLEY
HOME
2-1
4,500 TIMMINS, 2
1973-74
RD 1 OCT
9
SOUTHPORT
HOME
2-2
515 WEBBER, BENNET
OCT 30
SOUTHPORT
AWAY
1-1
451 RICHMOND
JAN 20
SOUTHPORT
HOME
1-0
804 GALLEY
RD 2 APR
16
EVERTON
HOME
0-0 809
MAY 01
EVERTON
HOME
3-1
1,332 BENNET, GALLEY, RICHMOND
SF
MAY 08 MANCHESTER UNITED
HOME
1-0
3,014 GRUNDY
F
MAY 11 MANCHESTER
CITY
HOME
0-3 3,221
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