"Our aim is to play the game": Morecambe's friendly at AFC Fylde appears due to take place
Morecambe and AFC Fylde have both claimed that Saturday’s friendly between the clubs is set to be played despite the Shrimps’ ongoing ownership crisis.
Morecambe are due to make the trip to Mill Farm, two weeks before the clubs kick off their respective league campaigns.
However, a game of claim and counter-claim has taken place over the last 48 hours with regards to this weekend’s match.
Derek Adams’ players were due to meet Barrow AFC behind closed doors on Tuesday, only for that game to be called off last weekend without any explanation from the club as to why.
Monday saw the Shrimps Trust fans’ group post a social media update in which it said the understanding was that Morecambe’s squad had opted not to play until the ownership situation was resolved.
Twenty-four hours later, Adams told BBC Radio Lancashire the players were not on strike and had been in training that day.
He reiterated that position when contacted on Wednesday morning, saying: “Our aim is to play the game on Saturday against Fylde and Tuesday against Lancaster.
“The players are not on strike and they all trained yesterday at the training ground. Their professionalism has been magnificent during this difficult time.
“We all want the situation to be resolved and the best outcome for Morecambe Football Club.”
Morecambe and Fylde had both released statements on Tuesday, the Shrimps posting on X that Saturday’s game ‘will go ahead as planned’.
However, according to a social media post from Sky Sports News reporter Sanny Rudravajhala, that was the first that the Shrimps’ players had heard about it.
The Coasters, for their part, had said: “We have received assurances that Morecambe will be able to fulfil the fixture and will be able to field a first-team squad.
“On that basis, the club would like to confidently say that the fixture will go ahead as planned.
“Of course, if the situation at Morecambe Football Club changes, we will communicate with supporters as soon as possible.
“We join the rest of the footballing community in hoping Morecambe’s difficult situation is resolved in the coming days, and we look forward to welcoming them to Mill Farm this weekend.”
The Shrimps have played three pre-season matches so far, winning at Longridge Town and Hyde United as well as drawing against Marine.