MORECAMBE'S FA TROPHY HISTORY
Compiled By Morecambe FC's Secretary Neil W Marsdin With Many Thanks
The dream of what was then the "other" side non-league football, the paid players, was realised in 1969-70, with the introduction of the FA Trophy, with the show piece final being held at Wembley Stadium. This had been the ambition of all semi pro clubs for a greet many years, the "amateur" clubs had a showpiece day, so why not the paid clubs. It would be a competition that would enable club's to live the dream, and fortunately the Shrimps would be one of those clubs'.
The inaugural season saw the Shrimps make the long journey to North Wales to play NPL rivals Bangor City. Hopes had been high of success in this competition, but ales the Shrimps crashed 4-2 at Farrar Road. Macclesfield the league champions completed a historic double by being the first winners of the trophy, beating Telford 2-0 at Wembley in front of a crowds of 28,000.
In those early years of the Trophy, Morecambe built a growing reputation, and it seemed inevitable that success was close. In 70-71, Chorley dealt the club a body blow, beating the Christie Park outfit 2-1 in the 3rd qualifying, but it was from this def eat that the "Road to Wembley" was started. The following season, the club progressed through 4 rounds, beating Boldon, Lower Gornal, Tamworth and Deneby before losing unluckily at Cheshire giants Macclesfield, 2-1 in the 3rd round. The following season the Shrimps took a further step down the road to Wembley by reaching the quarter finals for the first time, before falling to arch rivals Wigan Athletic after 2 replays. The games with Wigan Athletic are still in the Trophy record book. 1, for the highest attendance for a single Trophy games outside the Final, 9,343 at Wigan for the first replay, 2, for the highest attendance at a replay on a neutral ground, 5,693, and 3, for the highest aggregate attendance at a tie in the competition, 20,574.
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