Archived News from August 2007
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STAGSNET`S STATISTICAL PREVIEW
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The Stags' next opponents in the league will be one of the last decade's leading Conference sides, Morecambe FC, and the Shrimps will be a new opponent to the Stags in the League as Morecambe were promoted to the League for the first time ever after beating Exeter City in the playoffs final at the new Wembley.
And Morecambe's first ever home league fixture ended in a goal-less draw against Barnet. And last Saturday, the Shrimps lost 1-2 at Wrexham. But Morecambe's first-ever football league goal-scorer, Jon Newby, did in fact play ONE Premier League fixture for Liverpool in the 1999-2000 season, came on as sub with fourteen minutes to go in a goal-less home draw against Middlesbrough on January 22, 2000. In that game, the current MK Dons manager Paul Ince was booked playing for Middlesbrough. And a few days before the Wrexham game, the Shrimps dumped near-neighbours Preston out of the League Cup at their place to a 2-1 scoreline. Two ex-Stags starred for Morecambe in that game and experienced vastly different fortunes. While Fraser McLachlan had to be subbed due to injury late in the first half and will be out for most of the season, Dave Artell hit Morecambe's winner six minutes from time at Deepdale. Meanwhile, the Stags were dumped out in the League Cup at Oldham to a 4-1 scoreline, then lost their first home fixture 1-3 against Lincoln after an extremely poor display. Hopefully, expect a better Stags showing at Christie Park. And since the early nineties, two clubs being promoted to the League, did gain their first-ever league victory against the Stags. Barnet did so at Field Mill in 1991-92, and Cheltenham in the 1999-2000 season, both cases being the Stags' first home league fixture. The Stags' first league away fixture ended in a 1-1 draw at last term's League One side Brentford. Although Morecambe have never met the Stags in any competition before, the Shrimps have reached the third round of the FA Cup on three occasions. The first one was way back in 1961-62 after beating Chester away in the second round. In the third round, Morecambe were drawn at home to another non-league side, Weymouth. In front of a record crowd, over 9000, at Christie Park, the South Coast side went through by the only goal of the game and were rewarded with a good fourth round tie at Preston, losing only 3-1. Little did Morecambe and Weymouth know then, that the sides were to face each other chasing conference points some 44 years later! During this decade, Morecambe have reached the third round twice and on both occasions been drawn to Ipswich, one at home and one in Suffolk. Played for both sides (as League clubs): Dave Artell, Fraser McLachlan. Before Morecambe's promotion:Keith Kennedy, James Sutton, Brian Thomson. Svante Bernhard aka Sweden Stag (pictured, above right) |
Latest | August 2007