[themaclad]

The Mazuma Stadium (formerly known as the Globe Arena for sponsorship reasons) is a football stadium in Morecambe, Lancashire, England, which is the home of Morecambe F.C.[1][2][3][4][5] The stadium replaced the old Morecambe F.C. stadium, Christie Park, which was Morecambe's home from 1921 to 2010. The stadium holds up to 6,476 supporters, with 2,173 seats available in the Main Stand, which runs the length of one side of the pitch. Opposite the Main Stand is an uncovered terrace with a capacity of 606, giving a similar feel to the ground as that at Christie Park. At either ends of the pitch are the home and away stands, with the home end holding a maximum of 2,234 supporters and the away end having a capacity of 1,389.[6] In the north east corner of the stadium is the Tyson Fury Foundation, which is split between two floors. The building also houses a gym, which was purchased by Tyson Fury in August 2020.

History
Work officially started on clearing the site of trees on 9 May 2009, and work above ground started in early September 2009. By the middle of September the first main structure of the Main Stand was visible, and in early 2010 the other three stands were being developed. In late May the pitch was seeded.[7]

It was originally planned that the stadium would be ready for the 2009–10 season, but delays meant that it would not be ready until the 2010–11 season.

Globe Arena's opening game was to be a friendly against Bolton Wanderers on 28 July 2010, with the official opening of the stadium due to be marked by a local derby against rivals Preston North End on 31 July. However, all three planned home pre-season friendly fixtures were cancelled because of site delays.[8] The stadium's opening game was instead against Coventry City for Morecambe's League Cup first-round tie on 10 August,[9] in which Morecambe marked the occasion by beating their Championship opponents 2–0, with Andy Fleming scoring the first two goals at the stadium.[10]

The first league game at the Globe Arena was a 0–0 draw with Rotherham United. Their first league win came in a 1-0 match against Shrewsbury Town. The Shrimps' biggest victory on the ground was a 6–0 defeat of Crawley Town, with striker Phil Jevons becoming the first player to score a hat-trick on the ground. A record of 5,375 was set on 28 August 2013 when Morecambe hosted Newcastle United in the 2nd Round of the League Cup with Newcastle emerging 2–0 winners.

Been a few times apart from the main stand this is a reconstruction of the old Christie Park all that is missing is a car wash next to the ground



LAST TIME OUT



PREVIOUS MEETINGS

This will be the 6th meeting between the clubs two League Cup ties at Deepdale and two bin liner games at Morecambe. Morecambe won the first ever competitive meeting folloing glass back Wayne Henderson's inability to catch the ball in the last minute of the game

FAMOUS MORECAMBE FOLK

John Eric Bartholomew, OBE (14 May 1926 – 28 May 1984), known by his stage name Eric Morecambe, was an English comedian who together with Ernie Wise formed the double act Morecambe and Wise. The partnership lasted from 1941 until Morecambe's death in 1984. Morecambe took his stage name from his home town, the seaside resort of Morecambe in Lancashire.

He was the co-star of the BBC One's television series The Morecambe & Wise Show, which for the 1977 Christmas episode gained UK viewing figures of over 28 million people.[1] One of the most prominent comedians in British popular culture, in 2002 he was named one of the 100 Greatest Britons in a BBC poll.[2]

Morecambe, who had previously suffered heart attacks in November 1968 and March 1979 as well as undergoing bypass surgery, collapsed from a heart attack as he left the stage of the Roses Theatre in Tewkesbury, following a performance; he died in hospital a few hours later.

Unfortunately due to no longer being alive Eric will not be at the game however as long as local Romanians have not nicked his statue you can see the great man on the seafront

[themaclad]

Morecambe are next up for Preston North End as the teams fight for a place in the third round of the Carabao Cup.

PNE confirmed their place in round two by defeating League Two side Mansfield Town earlier in the month, meanwhile the Shrimps got past Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park.

PNE Team News

Four players missed the weekend’s game against Peterborough through Covid-related reasons and they will all be unavailable again on Tuesday night.

Tom Barkhuizen has returned to the training ground after being unwell with the illness and he has begun his seven to nine day phased return to training, as per protocols, so will miss the game against his former side.

Alan Browne, Ched Evans and Liam Lindsay are all still isolating.

The Opposition

Morecambe were victorious in the League Two Play-Off final at the end of last season, sealing a place in the third tier of English football for the first time in club history.

They certainly haven’t looked out of their depth either, taking four points from their opening four, earning a point away to Ipswich Town on the opening day of the season before beating Shrewsbury Town on home turf.

Since then, though, it’s been two defeats in a row, but only by one-goal margins against Rotherham United and Gillingham.

Key Stats

Tuesday night’s game will only be the sixth ever competitive meeting in the history of this fixture, with the first of those coming in 2007 in the same tournament, then known as the Carling Cup.

Morecambe lost their top scorer from last season in the summer, Carlos Mendes Gomes, who departed for Luton Town, but Cole Stockton is making up for the loss of his goals, with the forward having scored five already this term.

The Shrimps once turned to Tom Barkhuizen for goals; PNE’s No.29 scored 17 times in his 69 appearances for his former side.

Our Last Meeting


Preston North End welcomed Morecambe to Deepdale in 2018 in the first round of the EFL Cup and the Lilywhites came out 3-1 victors on the night.

Goals from Brandon Barker and Louis Moult put the home side two ahead, before Liam Mandeville pulled one back for the Shrimps just before the break.

Graham Burke’s goal on 58 minutes sealed the win for PNE, though, and earned his team a place in the second round.

Man In The Middle

Referee James Oldham will take charge of his first Preston North End fixture on Tuesday night.

Over the last couple of seasons, Oldham has taken the whistle for League One and Two games. Last term he issued 83 yellow cards and four reds in his 29 games.

So far this campaign, he’s shown a total of 23 yellow cards in four games, ten of which came on the opening day of the League Two season, in a match between Stevenage and Barrow.

MACS VIEW

No doubt we will make changes suspect big Rodwell Grant will play from the start., Bayliss and Harrop may make a rare appearence and hazard a guess Rudd will be in goal, won't be easy against the Shrimps having battled their way to a brilliant promotion last season. Stockton will be a handful though
Another Tuesday night away game hopefully better than the garbage from last Tuesday, could be quite entertaining this one hopefully teh sell out visitors support will be the one celebrating.
Finally as it is Morecambe just to remind them that the superior club of the Lune delta play at the Giant Axe

[themaclad]

Morecambe 2 O'Connor Stockton PNE 4 Riis 2 Ledson, Van Den Berg

Morecambe line-up: Andresson; Cooney, Lavelle, O’Connor, Leigh; Duffus (Phillips, 80), Mcloughlin (McPake, 80), Diagouraga, McCalmost; Stockton, Gnahoua (McDonald, 76).

Subs not used: Roche, Jones, Mensah, Wootton.

PNE line-up: Rudd; van den Berg, Storey, Hughes; Rafferty (Bauer, 75), Johnson (Bayliss, 83), Potts, Ledson, Cunningham; Sinclair (Sinclair, 59), Riis.

Subs not used: Iversen, Leigh, Earl, Thomas.

Referee: Mr J Oldham (Replaced by assistant Paul Graham, 29)

Attendance: 4,334 (1,774 PNE fans)



Programme £3 interestingly it will also be the programme for Morecambe's game against Wednesday

GAME

For the first time since before lockdown this felt like a proper game although it took a Morecambe goal on the stroke of half time to set the wheels in motion on a slow burner of a first half.
North End had led by two goals although without playing well, early on the home side were nearly gifted an early goal Rudd only just managing to clear it from the on rushing Stockton, the home side had also had a couple of efforts on goal then lo and behold 1 up, through ball from Johnson hit Riis and landed well for him he strode forward and scored with ease past Andresson.
Home side hit back forcing a series of corners with Rudd saving well from Gnahoua at his enar post.
Mid way through teh half a substitution was made as Mr Oldham was injured and replaced by his senior linesman. North End added a second in comical circumstances Goalkeeper, defender and Riis went for same ball all three collided Riis got up first whilst the two home players stayed writhing on the ground, empty goal Riis 2 up

On the stroke of half time the home side got a free kick near the corner flag, Leigh's kick went over everyone and was met by O'Conner at the back post, should have been dealt with, game on

Second half was terrific entertainment, Rudd called into action saving well by the post, Potst and Johson put in efforts from outside the box the latter's being well saved, end to end stuff and the next goal went the home sides way as Stockton got teh better of Storey and buried the ball into the bottom corner
Feared the worst but we were back in front within 3 minutes Ledson with an absolute rocket from about 25 yards outside of the right foot top bins tremendous

Morecambe didn't give up however don't recall Rudd making a save, we sealed the game with about 10 minutes to go Cunningham got down the left we had men over and Van Den Berg scored in the right end this week to make it 4-2.Stockton head the ball in the net ruled out for offside
Some crunching tackles, flares and pitch invasions top stuff

So through to the next round, we seem to be working our way through the leagues playing sides beginning with M which means probably Millwall away next round

Morecambe manager Stephen Robinson:

"The performance was top-class and I don't think anyone would have known who was the Championship side and who was in League One but ultimately we conceded four goals and lost the game which is what matters.

"There were a lot of positives and we made them work hard but we are disappointed not to have won the game."

Preston North End manager Frankie McAvoy:

"It was a magnificent cup tie and every credit to Morecambe for pulling it back to 2-2. Our lads could have dropped their heads because when they got their second they were really putting us under pressure.

"But we stepped up and Ryan Ledson scored a magnificent goal to put us ahead again and then we worked a terrific fourth after a great move.

"Even then Morecambe kept coming. But we stood up to be counted and that was really pleasing."

Macs view

Although several players were not at their best this awkward tie was won, every credit to the home side for pushing us all the way, best game I've seen for a long while. Ledson's goal was outstanding, tougher tasks await but this was fun