One person looking forward to the upcoming 50th anniversary of the Shrimps’ FA Trophy victory at Wembley is Keith Galley.
The striker, who still lives locally, was the youngest player in the squad which beat Dartford to lift the coveted trophy in 1974 at the age of 18 and still remembers the occasion well.
Taking up his story, Keith, who once cost Morecambe a record transfer fee of £400, said: "It all started for me at Morecambe in 1973 and I first managed to get into the first team after Alan Taylor left to join Rochdale before his move to West Ham.
"I did pretty well in that spell, including being involved in the FA Trophy win over Dartford at Wembley in 1974. It was a great day and I remember the whole party going out on the Friday and seeing Cliff Richard in concert and meeting him afterwards and training near to our hotel in Hyde Park on the Saturday morning.
"I had played a few games in the Trophy run but was only named as a substitute for the game itself. I was obviously disappointed to lose my place on the day, but Mal Richmond came in and scored one of our goals so in the end it was probably a good decision by the manager David Roberts.
“I did manage to get 25 minutes though. I remember beating their right-back a few times but, although I was only young at the time, I was shattered! The Wembley pitch was great but it was really spongy and took it out of you, but to say I have played at Wembley is something special.
“We had a special team to be honest. We may have been non-league, but we had some cracking players. Many of them could have played at a higher level but they had good jobs and chose to combine the two like Mal Richmond.
“I always remember the captain Bob Baldwin. He hardly spoke but get him on a football field and he would take no prisoners and was a great midfielder.
“I was the youngest player by quite a way and the lads never let me forget it! They liked having a laugh at my expense, but they also looked after me on and off the pitch and really helped me develop as a player too.’’
The Wembley win is firmly enshrined in Morecambe’s history and, even now, people like to talk to Keith about the game and the subsequent celebratory bus tour around the resort which drew crowds of thousands.
He added: “Even now, people still stop me in the street to talk about the game and my time at the Club.
“In the end, I had three spells at Morecambe and when I look back at my time here, I had so many great memories. There is many a time someone will stop me in town for a chat and I love it. Living locally seems to make playing for the Club, and being part of that day at Wembley, that bit more special.''
Keith first left Morecambe for Southport for £2,500 when they were a Football League club.
Mick Hogarth brought him back to the Shrimps before he left to join Netherfield, though the lure of Christie Park was too much for Keith as he was re-signed by Les Rigby for a then record fee of £400 before retiring in 1990.
Tickets for the FA Trophy Anniversary Dinner are still available - click here for more information.
