A Short History of Morecambe Reserves by Lawrence Bland

When Morecambe Football Club were formed in 1920-21, a reserve team entered Division One of the North Lancashire League. Five seasons were spent in that league finishing runners-up twice in 1921-22 and 1922-23. The team won the Parkinson Cup in 1922-23, a 1-0 win over Bolton-le-Sands on April 3rd at the Giant Axe, Morecambe : Wilcock, Thornton, McKenna, Gorst, Woodhouse, Noblett, Carter, Shutleworth (1), Whipp, Walker and Wilson. Another cup win was in 1923-24, a 2-1 win over Storeys on April 26th on Quay Meadow in the Infirmary Senior Cup, Morecambe : Simpson, Birnie, Thornton, Woodhouse, Swindlehurst, Noblett, Gradwell, Lomax (1), Senior, Nanson (1) and Keddy.

We left for three seasons in the West Lancashire League (1925-26 to 1927-28), before rejoining the North Lancashire League for seasons 1928-29 (5th) and 1929-30 (4th). In 1928-29, we won the Infirmary Shield beating Burneside 5-1 in the final at Kendal on March 29th, Morecambe : Gregson, Young, Bennett, Brownley, Carlisle, Bond, Strangeway, Hothersall, Mayes (2), Butler and Dempsey (3). During 1929-30, we lost the final of the North Lancashire Challenge Cup, 2-3 to Carnforth Rangers on April 12th at the Giant Axe, Morecambe : Ollerton, Bond, Wilcock, Brownley, Bell, Threlfall, Mayor, Cross, Senior (1), Butler and Dempsey (1). On September 28th 1929, in Round One of that cup we recorded our record win, 16-0 over Calder Vale at Christie Park with Roland Senior scoring a record eight goals, Morecambe : Hornby, Wilkinson, Wilcock, Bell, Barrow, Bond (1), Cherry, Butler (3), Senior (8), Brown (3) and Dempsey (1).

Financial difficulties at the club, caused the reserve team to be scrapped from 1930-31 to 1932-33. Two poor seasons on a return to the North Lancashire League, 1933-34 (8th) and 1934-35 (6th), before rejoining the West Lancashire League for seasons 1935-36 to 1937-38. 1935-36 was interesting for two great players appearing at Christie Park, veteran Ted Harper (leading goalscorer in a season at both Blackburn and Preston), now Blackburn Rovers 'A' coach played in a 1-1 draw on October 26th. On March 21st, a young Tommy Lawton scored twice for Burnley 'A' as we lost 5-6. On January 8th 1938, 6,500 saw a 1-1 draw with Liverpool 'A' at Anfield in a West Lancashire League match. On April 23rd 1938, we beat Bolton Wanderers 'A' 5-2 in the Richardson Cup final at Christie Park, Morecambe : Pinder, Thompson, Towers, Taylor (1), Britton,J., Brown,S., (1), Britton,W. (1), Fowler, Lockley (1), Birtwistle and Moorby (1).

Another financial crisis scrapped the reserve team for the 1938-39 season, but affairs improved for the start of the 1939-40 season, and we re-entered the North Lancashire League, playing two games before War broke out, with the first team taking over the reserve fixtures for the rest of the season and 1940-41.

The reserves resumed for the 1946-47 season in the West Lancashire League, winning the League Cup 3-1 against Bury 'A' on June 4th at Christie Park, Morecambe : Bell, Hewitt, Waite, Benson (2), Mayor (1), Ollerenshaw, Hodgson, Dowthwaite, Pearson,G., Vickers and Traynor. Further success in 1947-48, winning the championship of the West Lancashire League. On April 27th 1948 we lost 0-2 to Hindsford at Atherton in the Richardson Cup Final, Morecambe : Porter, Mossop, Adams, Knight, Mayor, Bracewell, Hodgson, Dowthwaite, Holmes, Gorst and Traynor. This side along with Atkins and Bailey were the main players in this first championship winning side. We spent 1948-49 and 1949-50 in the West Lancashire League.

The club was getting ambitious and Division Two of the Lancashire Combination was entered for 1950-51 to 1952-53, without any success. That league was too strong and costly, so we withdrew and help form a new local league, the North West Combination, and played in it for the next four seasons. On January 14th 1956, we lost the Shield Final at home to Windermere 2-3, Morecambe : Udall, Haworth, Burke, Eccles, Flanagan, Woodruff, Trotter, Slater, Sutton (1), Wilson and Davies (1).

We had a second spell in Division Two of the Lancashire Combination from 1957-58 until 1967-68, which at times was quite successful. 1960-61 was the best season finishing runners-up, with the usual team being Scott/Udall, Mitchell, Wylie, Pockett/Rodgers, Hoggarth/O'Connor, Holt, Graham, Mulvoy, Ashcroft/Borrowdale/Webb, Whitehead and Baldwin. Only Division Two sides competed in the Combination Cup in 1961-62 and 1962-63, and we reached the final on May 1st 1963, drawing 0-0 with Chorley Reserves at Christie Park, we lost the replay at Chorley 0-1 on May 7th, Morecambe : Udall,K., Bennett, Williamson, Varcoe, Haworth,T., Capper, Howarth,G., Evans, Udall,G., Hammill and Lydon. A Division Two Cup was started in 1966-67, and we reached the final on May 9th 1968, losing 1-5 away to Oldham Athletic Reserves.

In 1968-69, the Northern Premier League was formed, and the reserves entered Division One of the Lancashire League with mostly youth teams of the Football League clubs. We led the league in that first season in glorious style, being unbeaten until January 11th, but some poor final results saw the team drop to second place. We remained in the Lancashire League for six more seasons, before rejoining the Lancashire Combination, then a small one division league for three seasons, 1975-76 until 1977-78. We rejoined the Lancashire League, but struggled until the start of the 1981-82 season, when after playing three games, we withdrew mainly for financial reasons. The club was in crisis at this time, but it was sorted out. No team was run in 1982-83.

In 1983-84, we entered Division Two of the Lancashire League, the team managed by Dave Edge, becoming league champions . We moved up to Division One in 1984-85, fifth place was achieved in 1985-86 and 1986-87, the remaining seasons were a struggle. On November 18th 1989 we recorded our record defeat, 0-11 away to Crewe Alexandra 'A'.

With the formation of the Football League Youth Alliance in 1999-2000, this altered the standard of clubs playing in the Lancashire League, which now was composed entirely of non-league sides. The Reserves played 1998-99 in the new North West Alliance becoming champions, with the 'A' team playing in the Lancashire League. We returned to the Lancashire League in 1999-2000, when we were runners-up. We were now the strongest club in the league, managed by Geoff Udall, and were champions for six seasons running, 2000-01 to 2005-06. We won the Lancashire League Cup on May 9th 2001, beating Burscough Reserves 4-0 at Christie Park, Morecambe : Banks, Uberschar, Perkins, Brown, Swannick, Smith,L. (Porter), Alty, Stringfellow, Heald (2), Takano (1) and Hunter (1)[unused subs Blinkhorn, Walmsley, Bardsley and Parry]. Another Lancashire League Cup win followed on May 5th 2004, beating Accrington Stanley Reserves 3-2 at Christie Park, Morecambe : Gregoire, Mahoney, Lloyd, Swan, Davies,J., West,D., Thompson (1), Byrne, Gierke (2) (Mezaros), Rogan (Ford) and Dodgson [unused subs Brierley, Nicholson and Sly]. We equalled our record win on March 5th 2002, beating Bamber Bridge Reserves 16-0 at Christie Park, Morecambe : Wilcock, Fensome (1), Uberschar, Stringfellow, Robinson (Kendrick), Stanford (5), Crumblehulme (2), Gouck, Carlton (4), Arnold (McGarvey) and Porter (4) [unused subs Oldfield, Galley and Roberts].

The league for 2006-07 was split into West and East Divisions, we naturally won the West Division championship with only one defeat, but lost a two-leg final play-off with East Division champions Farsley Celtic Reserves. Farsley Celtic Reserves also beat us 3-1 away on May 4th 2007 in the final of the Lancashire League Cup, Morecambe : Jackson, Ball (Pickersgill), Wisdom, Baker (Langford), Wharf, Dunn, McGahon, Smith,J., Taylor (1) (West,M.), Poole and Jarvis [unused sub Kelly].

With our promotion to the Football League, we enter the Pontin's Holiday League West Division (the old Central League) for the 2007-08 season.

North Lancashire League Division One