| 2015–16 season | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Peter McGuigan | |||
| Manager | Jim Bentley | |||
| Stadium | Globe Arena | |||
| League Two | 21st | |||
| FA Cup | First Round | |||
| League Cup | First Round | |||
| League Trophy | Area Semi-finals | |||
| Top goalscorer | League:Shaun Miller (15) All: Shaun Miller (16) | |||
| Highest home attendance | 3,070 vCarlisle United 27 February 2016 | |||
| Lowest home attendance | 1,027 vDagenham & Redbridge 1 December 2015 | |||
| Average home league attendance | 1,572 | |||
| Biggest win | Morecambe 4–1Notts County 29 August 2015 Wimbledon 2–5Morecambe 17 October 2015 | |||
| Biggest defeat | Cambridge United 7–0Morecambe 19 April 2016 | |||
| All statistics correct as of match played 7 May 2016. | ||||
The 2015–16 season wasMorecambe's ninth consecutive season inLeague Two, the fourthtier ofEnglish football.[1]
They began the season on 8 August 2015, with the opening match of their League Two campaign. They also competed in threecup competitions, theFA Cup, theLeague Cup and theLeague Trophy.
They were eliminated in the first round of both the FA Cup and the League Cup, but performed better in the League Trophy. Reaching the area semi-finals was their best performance foreight years. They knocked out threeLeague One sides before losing 2–0 away toFleetwood Town on 8 December 2015.
On 19 May 2015, Morecambe announced the dates for their home pre-season friendlies which includedBolton Wanderers andBury.[2] On 27 May 2015, Morecambe announced they will visitNantwich Town.[3] On 9 June 2015, Morecambe confirmed they will visitKendal Town.[4] On 19 June 2015, Morecambe announced two further pre-season friendlies.[5] On 28 June 2015, Morecambe announced aLiverpool XI side will visit on 1 August 2015.[6]
| 14 July 2015 (2015-07-14)Friendly | Kendal Town | 0–5 | Morecambe | Kendal |
| 19:30BST | Report | Wildig Molyneux Kenyon Ellison Barkhuizen | Stadium:The Northgate Vehicle Hire Stadium |
| 17 July 2015 (2015-07-17)Friendly | Morecambe | 2–1 | Bolton Wanderers | Morecambe |
| 19:30BST | Wildig Mullin | Report | Dobbie | Stadium:Globe Arena |
| 21 July 2015 (2015-07-21)Friendly | Nantwich Town | 0–6 | Morecambe | Nantwich |
| 19:30BST | Report | Ellison Mullin Wildig | Stadium:The Weaver Stadium |
| 24 July 2015 (2015-07-24)Friendly | Morecambe | 1–1 | Bury | Morecambe |
| 19:30BST | Murphy | Report | Edwards | Stadium:Globe Arena |
| 27 July 2015 (2015-07-27)Friendly | Carnforth Rangers | 1–2 | Morecambe | Carnforth |
| 19:00BST | Murphy | Report | Kelleher | Stadium:Quarry Park |
| 1 August 2015 (2015-08-01)Friendly | Morecambe | 2–2 | Liverpool XI | Morecambe |
| 15:00BST | Mullin | Report | Gomez Sinclair | Stadium:Globe Arena Attendance: 1,794(398 away) Referee: Graham Salisbury |
| 5 August 2015 (2015-08-05)Friendly | AFC Liverpool | 2–5 | Morecambe | Crosby |
| 19:30BST | Belger Barry | Report | Ryan Doyle Miller Kelleher | Stadium:Arriva Stadium |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | Yeovil Town | 46 | 11 | 15 | 20 | 43 | 59 | −16 | 48 | |
| 20 | Crawley Town | 46 | 13 | 8 | 25 | 45 | 78 | −33 | 47 | |
| 21 | Morecambe | 46 | 12 | 10 | 24 | 69 | 91 | −22 | 46 | |
| 22 | Newport County | 46 | 10 | 13 | 23 | 43 | 64 | −21 | 43 | |
| 23 | Dagenham & Redbridge(R) | 46 | 8 | 10 | 28 | 46 | 81 | −35 | 34 | Relegation to theNational League |
| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ground | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | A | A | H | H | A | H | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H |
| Result | L | W | L | D | W | W | W | L | D | L | L | W | W | W | L | L | D | L | L | W | L | D | W | D | W | L | L | L | D | L | L | L | L | L | D | W | L | L | W | L | L | D | L | L | D | D |
| Position | 20 | 12 | 16 | 15 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 12 | 14 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 13 | 17 | 17 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
On 17 June 2015, the fixtures for the forthcoming season were announced.[7]
| 8 August 2015 (2015-08-08)1 | Hartlepool United | 2–0 | Morecambe | Hartlepool |
| 15:00BST | Paynter Harrison Fenwick Bingham Magnay Duckworth | Report | Mullin Edwards | Stadium:Victoria Park Attendance: 4,289 Referee: Darren England |
| 15 August 2015 (2015-08-15)2 | Morecambe | 1–0 | Accrington Stanley | Morecambe |
| 15:00BST | Wildig Kenyon | Report | Winnard | Stadium:Globe Arena Attendance: 1,865 Referee:Stuart Attwell |
| 18 August 2015 (2015-08-18)3 | Morecambe | 0–1 | Wycombe Wanderers | Morecambe |
| 19:45BST | Report | Thompson Bean Pierre McGinn | Stadium:Globe Arena Attendance: 1,395 Referee: Mark Haywood |
| 22 August 2015 (2015-08-22)4 | Portsmouth | 3–3 | Morecambe | Portsmouth |
| 15:00BST | Burgess Stevens Roberts Stockley | Report | Barkhuizen Goodall Roche Fleming Beeley Dugdale | Stadium:Fratton Park Attendance: 16,052 Referee:Roger East |
| 29 August 2015 (2015-08-29)5 | Morecambe | 4–1 | Notts County | Morecambe |
| 15:00BST | Goodall Mullin Devitt Fleming Kenyon | Report | Amevor Snijders Campbell McLeod | Stadium:Globe Arena Attendance: 1,621 Referee: Ross Joyce |
| 5 September 2015 (2015-09-05)6 | Yeovil Town | 2–4 | Morecambe | Yeovil |
| 15:00BST | Cornick Jeffers Sowunmi | Report | Devitt McGowan Edwards Wildig Fleming Molyneux Ellison | Stadium:Huish Park Attendance: 3,024 Referee: Nick Kinseley |
| 12 September 2015 (2015-09-12)7 | Newport County | 1–2 | Morecambe | Newport |
| 15:00BST | Barrow Hayden | Report | Goodall Dugdale Mullin | Stadium:Rodney Parade Attendance: 2,068 Referee: Robert Lewis |
| 19 September 2015 (2015-09-19)8 | Morecambe | 2–4 | Northampton Town | Morecambe |
| 15:00BST | Barkhuizen Byrom | Report | D'Ath Hoskins Furlong Byrom Calvert-Lewin | Stadium:Globe Arena Attendance: 1,778 Referee: Eddie Ilderton |
| 26 September 2015 (2015-09-26)9 | Oxford United | 0–0 | Morecambe | Oxford |
| 15:00BST | Taylor | Report | Beeley Dugdale McGowan | Stadium:Kassam Stadium Attendance: 5,273 Referee: Tim Robinson |
| 29 September 2015 (2015-09-29)10 | Morecambe | 1–3 | Luton Town | Morecambe |
| 19:45BST | Barkhuizen | Report | Wilkinson McGeehan McNulty Smith | Stadium:Globe Arena Attendance: 1,388 Referee: Chris Sarginson |
| 3 October 2015 (2015-10-03)11 | Morecambe | 3–4 | Bristol Rovers | Morecambe |
| 15:00BST | Miller Barkhuizen Mullin Fleming | Report | Mansell Bodin Taylor Harrison Nicholls | Stadium:Globe Arena Attendance: 1,712 Referee: Andy Madley |
| 10 October 2015 (2015-10-10)12 | Carlisle United | 2–3 | Morecambe | Carlisle |
| 15:00BST | Grainger Joyce Asamoah | Report | Miller Barkhuizen | Stadium:Brunton Park Attendance: 5,303 Referee: Peter Bankes |
| 17 October 2015 (2015-10-17)13 | Wimbledon | 2–5 | Morecambe | London |
| 14:00BST | Barcham Taylor Akinfenwa Reeves | Report | Miller Kenyon Goodall Devitt Ellison Barkhuizen Mullin | Stadium:Kingsmeadow Attendance: 3,679 Referee: Trevor Kettle |
| 20 October 2015 (2015-10-20)14 | Morecambe | 3–1 | Crawley Town | Morecambe |
| 19:45BST | Miller Ellison Beeley Mullin | Report | Edwards Murphy | Stadium:Globe Arena Attendance: 1,098 Referee: Darren Handley |
| 24 October 2015 (2015-10-24)15 | Morecambe | 0–1 | Leyton Orient | Morecambe |
| 15:00BST | Report | Marquis Payne Chicksen | Stadium:Globe Arena Attendance: 2,105 Referee: David Webb |
| 31 October 2015 (2015-10-31)16 | Plymouth Argyle | 2–0 | Morecambe | Plymouth |
| 15:00GMT | Carey Tanner | Report | Goodall | Stadium:Home Park Attendance: 7,574 Referee: Michael Bull |
| 21 November 2015 (2015-11-21)17 | Barnet | 0–0 | Morecambe | London |
| 15:00GMT | McLean | Report | Mullin | Stadium:Hive Stadium Attendance: 1,632 Referee: Fred Graham |
| 24 November 2015 (2015-11-24)18 | Morecambe | 2–4 | Cambridge United | Morecambe |
| 19:45GMT | Molyneux Wilson Barkhuizen Murphy Miller Edwards | Report | Legge Donaldson Gayle Williamson Berry Ledson | Stadium:Globe Arena Attendance: 1,689 Referee: Ben Toner |
| 28 November 2015 (2015-11-28)19 | Stevenage | 4–3 | Morecambe | Stevenage |
| 15:00GMT | Wells Whelpdale Pett | Report | Ellison Goodall Beeley Murphy Mullin | Stadium:Lamex Stadium Attendance: 2,415 Referee: Lee Collins |
| 1 December 2015 (2015-12-01)20 | Morecambe | 1–0 | Dagenham & Redbridge | Morecambe |
| 19:45GMT | Mullin | Report | Labadie | Stadium:Globe Arena Attendance: 1,027 Referee: Kevin Wright |
| 19 December 2015 (2015-12-19)21 | York City | 2–1 | Morecambe | York |
| 15:00GMT | Winfield Berrett Oliver Flinders | Report | Devitt Molyneux Wildig | Stadium:Bootham Crescent Attendance: 2,769 Referee: Carl Boyeson |
| 28 December 2015 (2015-12-28)22 | Notts County | 2–2 | Morecambe | Nottingham |
| 15:00GMT | McLeod | Report | Miller Ellison Dugdale | Stadium:Meadow Lane Attendance: 4,556 Referee: Robert Lewis |
| 2 January 2016 (2016-01-02)23 | Wycombe Wanderers | 0–2 | Morecambe | High Wycombe |
| 15:00GMT | O'Nien Ingram | Report | Murphy Miller Devitt Mullin | Stadium:Adams Park Attendance: 3,555 Referee: Andy Davies |
| 12 January 2016 (2016-01-12)24 | Morecambe | 1–1 | Exeter City | Morecambe |
| 19:45GMT | Miller | Report | Stockley | Stadium:Globe Arena Attendance: 1,040 Referee: Andy Haines |
| 16 January 2016 (2016-01-16)25 | Morecambe | 2–1 | Yeovil Town | Morecambe |
| 15:00GMT | Fleming Devitt Ellison Miller | Report | Ward Walsh | Stadium:Globe Arena Attendance: 1,340 Referee:Scott Duncan |
| 23 January 2016 (2016-01-23)26 | Northampton Town | 3–1 | Morecambe | Northampton |
| 15:00GMT | Richards Collins O'Toole McDonald Buchanan | Report | Fleming Wilson Ellison Mullin Dugdale | Stadium:Sixfields Stadium Attendance: 4,652 Referee: Gavin Ward |
| 26 January 2016 (2016-01-26)27 | Morecambe | 1–2 | Mansfield Town | Morecambe |
| 19:45GMT | Mullin | Report | Clements Yussuf | Stadium:Globe Arena Attendance: 1,047 Referee: Nigel Miller |
| 30 January 2016 (2016-01-30)28 | Morecambe | 1–2 | Newport County | Morecambe |
| 15:00GMT | Miller Ellison Conlan | Report | Boden | Stadium:Globe Arena Attendance: 1,342 Referee: Mark Brown |
| 2 February 2016 (2016-02-02)29 | Morecambe | 1–1 | Portsmouth | Morecambe |
| 19:45GMT | Fleming Beeley Roche | Report | Clarke Evans | Stadium:Globe Arena Attendance: 1,399 Referee: Richard Clark |
| 6 February 2016 (2016-02-06)30 | Mansfield Town | 2–1 | Morecambe | Mansfield |
| 15:00GMT | Blair Pearce Tafazolli | Report | Ellison Fleming | Stadium:Field Mill Attendance: 3,090 Referee: Mark Heywood |
| 13 February 2016 (2016-02-13)31 | Morecambe | 2–4 | Oxford United | Morecambe |
| 15:00GMT | Molyneux Ellison Miller Edwards Barkhuizen | Report | Roofe Mullins MacDonald Lundstram Hylton Bowery | Stadium:Globe Arena Attendance: 1,749 Referee: Peter Bankes |
| 20 February 2016 (2016-02-20)32 | Bristol Rovers | 2–1 | Morecambe | Bristol |
| 15:00GMT | Brown Gaffney Bodin | Report | Devitt Fleming | Stadium:Memorial Stadium Attendance: 7,400 Referee: Darren England |
| 27 February 2016 (2016-02-27)33 | Morecambe | 1–2 | Carlisle United | Morecambe |
| 15:00GMT | Ellison Kenyon Edwards | Report | Raynes Wyke Asamoah | Stadium:Globe Arena Attendance: 3,070 Referee: Darren Drysdale |
| 1 March 2016 (2016-03-01)34 | Luton Town | 1–0 | Morecambe | Luton |
| 19:45GMT | Marriott | Report | Stadium:Kenilworth Road Attendance: 7,153 Referee: Darren Deadman |
| 5 March 2016 (2016-03-05)35 | Crawley Town | 1–1 | Morecambe | Crawley |
| 15:00GMT | Harrold | Report | Beeley Miller | Stadium:Broadfield Stadium Attendance: 1,697 Referee: Iain Williamson |
| 12 March 201636 | Morecambe | 2–1 | AFC Wimbledon | Globe Arena |
| 15:00GMT | Fleming Devitt | BBC Report | Meades Sweeney Reeves Francomb | Attendance: 1,477 Referee:Geoff Eltringham |
| 19 March 2016 (2016-03-19)37 | Leyton Orient | 1–0 | Morecambe | Leyton |
| 15:00BST | Simpson Edwards | Report | Roche | Stadium:Brisbane Road Attendance: 4,442 |
| 25 March 2016 (2016-03-25)38 | Morecambe | 0–2 | Plymouth Argyle | Morecambe |
| 15:00BST | Kenyon Molyneux | Report | Houghton Matt Carey | Stadium:Globe Arena (football stadium) Attendance: 2,081 (627 away) Referee: David Webb |
| 2 April 2016 (2016-04-02)39 | Morecambe | 4–2 | Barnet | Morecambe |
| 15:00BST | Miller Kenyon Molyneux Stockton | Report | Yiadom Gash Muggleton | Stadium:Globe Arena Attendance: 1,175 Referee: David Coote |
| 5 April 201640 | Dagenham & Redbridge | 2–1 | Morecambe | Victoria Road,Dagenham |
| Labadie Cureton | Report | Barkhuizen | Attendance: 1,233 |
| 9 April 2016 (2016-04-09)41 | Morecambe | 2–5 | Hartlepool United | Globe Arena,Morecambe |
| 15:00GMT | Kenyon Barkhuizen | Report | Woods Thomas James Oates | Attendance: 2,005 Referee: Carl Boyeson |
| 16 April 201642 | Accrington Stanley | 2–2 | Morecambe | Crown Ground,Accrington |
| 15:00GMT | Windass | Report | Miller Barkhuizen | Attendance: 2,609 |
| 19 April 2016 (2016-04-19)43 | Cambridge United | 7–0 | Morecambe | Cambridge |
| 19:45BST | Berry Dunk Williamson Roberts Ismail | Report | Conlan Edwards | Stadium:Abbey Stadium Attendance: 3,941(away 46) Referee: James Adcock |
| 23 April 2016 (2016-04-23)44 | Morecambe | 1–4 | Stevenage | Morecambe |
| 15:00BST | Stockton Wildig Devitt | Report | Goodall Parrett Kennedy | Stadium:Globe Arena Attendance: 1,129 Referee: Oliver Langford |
| 30 April 2016 (2016-04-30)45 | Exeter City | 1–1 | Morecambe | Exeter |
| 15:00 | Ellison | Report | Stockley | Stadium:St James Park Attendance: 3,936 Referee: Darren Drysdale |
| 7 May 201646 | Morecambe | 1–1 | York City | Morecambe |
| 15:00 | Devitt | Report | Summerfield | Stadium:Globe Arena Attendance: 1,620 |
The first-round draw was made on 26 October 2015. Morecambe were drawn away to fellow League Two sideDagenham & Redbridge.[8]
| 7 November 2015 (2015-11-07)First Round | Dagenham & Redbridge | 0–0 | Morecambe | London |
| 15:00GMT | Connors | Report | Parrish | Stadium:Victoria Road Attendance: 900 Referee: Tim Robinson |
| 17 November 2015 (2015-11-17)First Round Replay | Morecambe | 2–4 | Dagenham & Redbridge | Morecambe |
| 19:45GMT | Barkhuizen Wildig | Report | Vassell Dunne Labadie | Stadium:Globe Arena Attendance: 1,176 Referee: Geoff Eltringham |
The first-round draw was made on 16 June 2015. Morecambe were drawn at home againstSheffield United.[9]
| 11 August 2015 (2015-08-11)First Round | Morecambe | 0–1 | Sheffield United | Morecambe |
| 19:45BST | Report | Collins | Stadium:Globe Arena Attendance: 2,168 Referee: Steve Martin |
The first-round draw was made on 8 August 2015, byWomen's World Cup bronze medalistsToni Duggan andAlex Scott. Morecambe were drawn at home againstWalsall.[10] On 5 September 2015, the second-round draw was made byCharlie Austin andEd Skrein. Morecambe were drawn away toBury.[11] The draw for the area quarter-finals was made on 10 October 2015. Morecambe were drawn away toRochdale.[12] The draw for the area semi-finals was made on 14 November 2015, byJohn Hartson andPaul Heaton. Morecambe were drawn away toFleetwood Town.[13] All the draws were shown live onSoccer AM.
| 1 September 2015 (2015-09-01)First Round | Morecambe | 2–0 | Walsall | Morecambe |
| 19:45BST | Devitt Barkhuizen | Report | Mantom | Stadium:Globe Arena Attendance: 1,332 Referee: Seb Stockbridge |
| 6 October 2015 (2015-10-06)Second Round | Bury | 0–1 | Morecambe | Bury |
| 19:45BST | Brown | Report | Goodall Miller | Stadium:Gigg Lane Attendance: 1,508 Referee: Mark Brown |
| 10 November 2015 (2015-11-10)Area Quarter-final | Rochdale | 0–1 | Morecambe | Rochdale |
| 19:45GMT | McNulty Cannon | Report | Mullin Miller McGowan | Stadium:Spotland Attendance: 1,428 Referee:David Coote |
| 8 December 2015 (2015-12-08)Area Semi-final | Fleetwood Town | 2–0 | Morecambe | Fleetwood |
| 19:45GMT | Jónsson Ball Ryan | Report | Ellison Barkhuizen | Stadium:Highbury Stadium Attendance: 1,715 Referee:Paul Tierney |
| Date from | Position | Nationality | Name | From | Fee | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 July 2015 | MF | Charlie Bailey | Academy | Trainee | [14] | |
| 1 July 2015 | CF | Tom Barkhuizen | Blackpool | Free transfer | [14] | |
| 1 July 2015 | CB | Adam Dugdale | Tranmere Rovers | Free transfer | [15] | |
| 1 July 2015 | ST | Jack Kelleher | Academy | Trainee | [14] | |
| 1 July 2015 | LM | Lee Molyneux | Tranmere Rovers | Free transfer | [16] | |
| 1 July 2015 | RB | Peter Murphy | Wycombe Wanderers | Free transfer | [17] | |
| 1 July 2015 | CM | Aaron Wildig | Shrewsbury Town | Free transfer | [18] | |
| 5 August 2015 | CF | Shaun Miller | Coventry City | Free transfer | [19] | |
| 6 August 2015 | GK | Tony Thompson | Rotherham United | Free transfer | [20] |
| Date from | Position | Nationality | Name | To | Fee | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 July 2015 | CF | Pádraig Amond | Grimsby Town[a] | Free transfer | [22] | |
| 1 July 2015 | GK | Andreas Arestidou | Free agent | Released | [23] | |
| 1 July 2015 | CB | Will Bell | Free Agent | Released | [22] | |
| 1 July 2015 | DM | Stewart Drummond | Retired | — | [24] | |
| 1 July 2015 | CB | Mark Hughes | Stevenage[b] | Free transfer | [22] | |
| 1 July 2015 | RW | Marcus Marshall | Grimsby Town[c] | Free transfer | [22] | |
| 1 July 2015 | CF | Jack Sampson | Macclesfield Town[d] | Free transfer | [22] | |
| 1 July 2015 | RM | Declan Watson | Free Agent | Released | [22] | |
| 1 July 2015 | CM | Ryan Williams | Brentford[e] | Free transfer | [22] | |
| 1 July 2015 | RB | Andrew Wright | Southport[f] | Free transfer | [22] | |
| 10 July 2015 | CF | Jack Redshaw | Blackpool | £180,000 | [30][31] |
Total income:
£180,000
| Date from | Position | Nationality | Name | From | Date until | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 August 2015 | CF | Jack Ryan | Preston North End | 31 October 2015 (Recalled on 22 October 2015) | [32] | |
| 1 September 2015 | GK | Kieran O'Hara | Manchester United | 29 September 2015 | [33] |
| Date from | Position | Nationality | Name | To | Date until | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 August 2015 | CB | Chris Doyle | Chorley | 14 November 2015 | [34][a] |