Bowyer's tribute to Shrimps' boss Bentley

Blackpool boss Gary Bowyer is full of praise for the job done by Jim Bentley at Morecambe

The club has constantly over achieved under Bentley’s guidance after the former Morecambe defender took the reins back in 2011.

They currently sit in 14th place in the League Two table – one place above Bowyer’s Blackpool side – with a recent spike in form coming on the back of the club’s players and staff not being paid.

“Morecambe should be eternally grateful to Jim Bentley and the fact he’s still with them,” Bowyer said.

“You talk about a statue for Claudio Ranieri at Leicester. Well good grief, Jim deserves the ground named after him as well as having a statue for what he’s done for them.

“He’s been phenomenal for them. I said at the start of the season what a good job he’s done for them but after that, you’ve got the adversity of not having his players paid but he keeps producing teams that play good football.

“They’ve got a hell of a spirit and that’s exactly what we’re going to get at the weekend.

“He keeps producing good players and you never hear him moan. He just gets on with it and I can’t understand how he’s not been given an opportunity in a higher league because of the job he has done.”

The Shrimps make the short trip to the Fylde coast on the back of an impressive 1-1 draw at Portsmouth during the week – a result that keeps them well in contention for the play-offs.

Morecambe’s recent run of form has been nothing short of miraculous given the turmoil Bentley has had to face off the pitch amid questions over who owns the club, late payment of wages and a transfer embargo.

Bowyer added: “Sometimes things like that can galvanise teams and bring them closer together. They know they’ve only got a small squad of players but they’ve utilised that fact. But you still have to go out and perform and that’s exactly what they’re doing.”

After a truly awful autumn which saw Bentley’s players set an unwanted club record of seven straight home league defeats, 2017 has been nothing short of spectacular, with Barnet the only side to have taken three points from the Shrimps.