'it's Turned Into A Fairytale' - Morecambe Revel In Raucous Return

When Morecambe fans bought their tickets to watch their broadside play their first delayed National League fixture of nan campaign, pursuing a financial situation and play of suspension successful which their very beingness was nether superior threat, they could hardly person cared little astir nan result of Saturday's lucifer against Altrincham.

After months of dread, disorder and turmoil, culminating successful nan finalisation of a takeover by caller owners Panjab Warriors, it was being backmost successful their home, watching their squad successful action, alongside nan remainder of their people, that mattered acold much than nan scoreline.

But successful nan extremity a nightmare that had endured for months turned into an utter dream, arsenic nan Shrimps secured a stunning 2-1 triumph acknowledgment to a 98th-minute victor from caller signing Daniel Ogwuru, who only signed for nan nine connected Friday night.

The mostly of nan 3,730 fans successful nan crushed were near buzzing, stunned and profoundly moved each astatine once.

"We thought we were gone, dormant and buried," said Pat Stoyles, chair of fans' group The Shrimps' Trust. "We conscionable wanted to not beryllium humiliated today. Now it's turned into a fairytale hasn't it?

"The ambiance each time has been electric. It was perfect."

Hardy hugs and plentifulness of tears were shared by group young and aged who had spent nan summertime worrying they whitethorn ne'er moreover watch their broadside play present again, ne'er mind watch them present last-gasp winners.

"Today has been each astir bringing nan nine backmost together," said 23-year-old Zoe, who has been coming to Morecambe matches pinch her begetter Dusty for 19 years.

"For truthful agelong we person wanted to travel retired pinch our friends and family and get each nan Shrimps arsenic 1 again. It's conscionable a awesome feeling. The full municipality has been raring to go."

Josh, 29, added: "For nan first fewer weeks of nan season, while we've not been playing, I haven't known what to do pinch myself. You suffer your regular and nan group you spell with. I really thought we were going to beryllium liquidated.

"I've been coming since I was five. My grandad first took me, and he's passed distant now. Having nan nine backmost intends we support that family, generational nexus going."

Prior to kick-off, nan caller owners were fixed a raucous invited by nan 3,500 location fans successful attendance, who revelled successful their return and generated a tremendous ambiance from commencement to finish.

They were rewarded conscionable complete 5 minutes into nan crippled erstwhile Ben Tollitt – 1 of nan fewer players who stuck pinch nan nine complete nan summer, contempt not being paid for 10 weeks - trim wrong and vanished wrong nan adjacent station aft his first effort was saved.

From there, Altrincham – who had mislaid 2 of their 3 opening games, but person astatine slightest been capable to bask unhindered mentation – grew into nan lucifer and deservedly levelled. The visitors created plentifulness of chances to triumph nan crippled successful nan 2nd half but couldn't rather make 1 count.

As they piled forward, Morecambe took advantage of nan abstraction near behind, pinch Ogwuru arrowing a ferocious decorativeness into nan acold area betwixt celebrating pinch nan delirious supporters down nan goals.

Before that, Morecambe had astatine times looked for illustration a squad of strangers – because that is precisely what they are. When Panjab Warriors' takeover was finalised connected Monday, nan nine had 5 players successful their squad.

Since then, 12 person been signed by caller head Ashvir Singh Johal arsenic he originates his first elder managerial role, including 19-year-old second-half substitute Ma'kel Campbell, who only finalised his woody a fewer hours earlier kick-off connected Saturday morning.

Misunderstandings complete erstwhile nan shot is going agelong aliases short, who has a inclination to trim wrong aliases spell retired wide, and erstwhile to motorboat into a afloat counter-attack, are to beryllium expected from a squad which has had nary pre-season and a azygous training convention to activity together.

But nan sheer value Morecambe person managed to bring successful during a whirlwind fewer days, including a plethora of players who graduated from nan academies of immoderate of nan country's elite clubs, was already capable to move them into a squad that looked competent and talented from nan get-go.

Johal was an energetic beingness connected nan touchline for nan entirety of nan match, delivering instructions astir nan team's style to a midfield intelligibly adjusting to each other, while nan mostly of nan bellowing of encouragement was near to his newly-assembled backroom staff.

The 30-year-old's hiring successful spot of highly-respected erstwhile leader Derek Adams drew a mixed guidance from fans, but this commencement was acold much than encouraging than anybody would realistically person expected.

"I person a clear process," Johal said afterwards. "Becoming a head has been my purpose for 4 aliases 5 years now. I've had a batch of bully experiences, truthful my occupation is to disregard everything connected nan extracurricular and make judge nan recruitment is correct and that location is simply a bully gameplan.

"On Thursday and Friday, nan players were connected nan pitch. Because they haven't trained together before, we had to limit their vulnerability to nan extracurricular and attraction connected fitness.

"The sessions were astir 45 minutes agelong and we talked astir nan principles of really we want to play. We were very clear connected nan style.

"The players person been amazing. They person supported maine a lot. I deliberation it's going to beryllium an breathtaking journey."