Let’s Make The Extra Man Count

The euphoria that is surrounding the club at the moment is astonishing, and at Portman Road, on Saturday, a 20,000 plus crowd will be cheering on the Blues!

No club wants to lose their first League One fixture, and this applies just as much to Morecambe as it does to Sunderland or Portsmouth. Big club or small club. We all have one thing in common and that is to start well. If they grab a point they will be more than happy to take that home with them!

The Shrimps are certainly no push-overs. And they will have observed with interest the rather sluggish start we have made in those pre-season friendlies. We have hardly taken the world by storm as the old has been replaced by the new, and the gelling process is still a work in progress.

Morecambe beat Newport 1–0 in the League Two play-off final at Wembley Stadium to claim their place in the league above. They will be determined to make a good start in this division, and we must do everything in our power to defeat them, and our extra man could be watching the game unfold. No! I am not talking about our gaffer Paul Cook but us!

A big crowd carries with it great expectations, and yet, with all the changes that have occurred since last season to personnel, we must be patient and not expect immediate success. If the Town supporters hold their nerve, I feel sure the players will respond to it. Having a home crowd on your side can often be the difference between winning and losing, and I rather suspect that our most difficult encounters will occur in the first three months of the season.

I am really looking forward to seeing all our new players in action, but that is not going to occur on Saturday. George Edmundson is unavailable as he strives to reach match-fitness, and there is a doubt too over Scott Fraser. Lee Evans appears to be over his little problem and should play some part but there may be a few tweaks in other areas too.

Paul Cook is also on his guard and said, ” We have to be patient. That’s just part and parcel of the game – especially if teams defend deep.” He is right of course, and I would not be at all surprised if The Shrimpers decide the park the bus. The low block strategy might be the only way they think they can get anything from the game, and we all have to show patience, both on and off the field.