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| Welcome to .... |
It’s international week, meaning those of us who support higher division teams (like Barnsley!) can tick off another ground instead; Morecambe will be #87 and I’m well into the home straight. Even better, I’ll be joined on the journey up from London by The Captain, while Molly and Wadd will journey it across from Barnsley. A proper Londontykes’ day out at the seaside! Only South Western Trains desist from ‘minding their neb’ (business) and elect to have engineering works on the day in question. Thus, no Captain, who is bereft somewhere in the New Forest. (As an aside, today, Monday 27th March, it has been announced that SWT have lost their franchise; continued gross incompetence apparently ISN'T the way to run a rail network).
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| It's very different to a trip to...oooh...Wolverhampton, say. |
Thus, it is a long and lonesome journey, though I’ve plenty of work to amuse me. It was a quiet affair till Brum, when a bunch of screamy Brummie women got on. They’re obviously celebrating, but I know not what (leaving Brum for the day?). After changing at Lancaster, I arrive at Morecambe around 12:30, at what looks like a tram stop. Turns out the original station (400 metres towards the seafront) closed, to be turned into a restaurant. Shame, as the journey lacked the exit it deserved.
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| Trying to decide which way in. |
Despite agreeing to meet up with the others at the pub (The Palatine) I take a slight detour to wander along the promenade and see the former beauty that is the art deco Midland Hotel. Nice curves, though seen better days. Like Marilyn Monroe, without the affair with JFK. The Palatine was pretty average (4.6 / 5 and best pub in Morecambe according to some app or other – which possibly says more about Morecambe than about the Palatine). A couple of San Miguels and a hotpot later and we’re off to the game. Only we would be if we didn’t have to go via Wadds’ hotel. He takes an age, we miss our 1st taxi…and we get there after kick-off.
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| Match action. |
No worries, nothing ever happens early doors. While we wonder which end to go in, Mansfield score. We know it’s Mansfield cos we’re outside the away turnstiles. We still can’t decide which end to go in. For some reason, Morecambe are not opening the away terrace today, so seating only. Or we could walk a bit further and stand with the home fans. 6 year old Lucas decides; he would like to join the Mansfield fans, possibly cos we all went there the other week. Before we enter, Morecambe equalise. Great. We miss 6 minutes and 2 goals. At this rate it'll finish 15-all. Nevermind a cricket score - it'll be a tennis score. I'll get mi' coat.
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| TV gantry on the North Terrace. |
Once inside, we are greeted by a large, smart stand, overlooking the rest of the ground. It’s single tier and fairly steep, good views. To our right is a small unoccupied covered terrace, and to our left, a barely occupied covered home terrace. Opposite meantime is a small terrace, open to the elements. Considering its modernity, I’ve no idea why this side isn’t covered. I can’t see Morecambe needing to expand the stadium anytime soon. Still, it’s a beautiful, beautiful day and if I knew the place better, I’d have stood over there too. As we ruminate on the likelihood of there being no more goals, Mansfield go ahead.
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| The Mansfield 'end' celebrate #2. |
Morecambe are outnumbered in defence and the ball is laid outside to Danny Rose, who beats the keeper low to his right, despite him getting a hand to it. This is manna from heaven as far as we Londontykes are concerned, what with Rose being ex-Barnsley. Even better, the sizeable Mansfield contingent appears to have at least 4 different chants for him. That’s more than the rest of their chants put together. Turns out he grabbed the 1st an’ all. And it could (should) have been a hattrick early second half when he digs out a poor pass and gets his shot off despite the defender’s attention.
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| What coulda woulda shoulda been the away terrace. |
Inbetween, Mansfield grab another to lead 3-1 at half time and effectively win the match. Morecambe have nothing and the game peters out on their beach of a pitch. (Why did both sides insist on playing on the mud in front of the main stand, instead of the grass on the far side? Even when they switched ends it continued.) As a savage indictment of what we were watching, I’ll give word to 6 year old Lucas: ‘Why do they keep kicking the ball in the air?’
All in all, a pleasant day out and a cracking little stadium to visit. Tho' given Morecambe have lost all 6 games in March, and are now playing in front of c1400, I suspect they won’t be in the league for very long. Get there while you can!
***special mention to Molly, who gave me a lift to Lancaster so's I could make my connection back.
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| Morecambe Beach |
The Damage:
47 train
5 taxi
21 ent
3 prog
= £76
The Tunes:
Thirst for Romance (Cherry Ghost)
Coexist (The XX)
High Violet (The National)
The Libertines (The Libertines)
Plumb (Field Music)
Mixmag Sept 2010 (DJ Kutski and Alex Kidd)
Mixmag Oct 2015 (Major Lazer)
Knee Deep in the North Sea (Portico Quartet)
Disintegration (The Cure)
It was a long day!
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| Panorama from our seats |
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| Panorama ground level |
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| Man takes corner. |
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| Babysitting at the Globe. |
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| Bye Bye Globe Arena. Hope to see you soon! |
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