Chronological History of Morecambe Football Club
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The 1920's
1920 ~ The birth of Morecambe Football Club, as we know it day, was formed after a meeting at the West View Hotel on 7th May 1920, after a number of abortive attempts, by the local cricket club. A team was agreed to be enter in the Lancashire Combination for the following new season.
1920-21 ~The
first season saw the new Morecambe FC in the Lancashire Combination
playing at at home of the local cricket club at Woodhill Lane.
The opening game was on August 27th and the team played
Fleetwood, losing 4-1 in front of crowd of 3,000. The new adventure
of football in Morecambe prove the be a crowd puller with crowds in
excess of 3,000 in the first season per game. The team finished the
season 6th from bottom with 25 points from 10 wins. However at
the end of the season a new ground had to be found, as the cricket
pitch had taken some punishment. Cricket and football prove to be
incompatible partners and ground tenancy was terminated. Also the
Football Association ordered the club to break links with the cricket
club. The club needed quickly to find a new home for the following season.
1921-22 ~ Some
spare land was available close by on Lancaster Road and the club took
the tenancy. A ground was develop and named 'Roseberry Park' after a
nearby road. The team finished 5th from bottom, with 26 points.
1924-25 ~ The
past seasons had proved to be very lean but in 1924-25 Morecambe
became champions of the Lancashire Combination with 55 points from 36
games. Also they reached the Combination Cup final, losing 0-1 to Chorley.
The following season 1925-26 was followed by the runners-up position and the first time claiming the prestigious prize of the Lancashire Junior Cup, with a victory over local rivals Chorley in a final which went to two replays, attracting over 20,000 fans in total. The re-play was at Deepdale, Preston, with the team winning 3-1.
1926-27 ~
Retained the Lancashire Junior Cup, beating Lancaster 1-0 at Preston
North End, and also won the Lancashire Combination Cup against the
same opposition in a replay. The club became an incorporated company
at the end of this season. 'Pinky' Grass, who had scored 43 goals,
was sold to Blackburn for £450 and club finished third in the league.
In September 1927 the Football Club became a limited company. 1927-28 was difficult season both on and of the pitch., finishing above mid-table. With many player were injured, with indifferent performances and bad weather 1928 proved to be a crisis year, financially, for the club, who seek help from Club President J.B. Christie. He bought the ground and gave it the club, with a covenant that land would be used for football. In his honour the the ground was renamed Christie Park. Sadly 1929 saw the death of club President and its great benefactor. On the pitch the team went of all cup competitions by Decembers and finished once again mid-table.
1927-46 ~ During this period the club saw little success, finishing no higher than mid-table, and 1931-32 saw them finish second bottom with only 18 points. Cup success was also lacking, although 1937-38 saw them reach the FA. Cup 1st Round proper for the first time (losing 0-1 at South Liverpool), and financial troubles were always close at hand. The Second World War gave the club the opportunity to start again, and the late 1940s saw a marked improvement.