Morecambe boss: Chelsea FA Cup tie is due reward for everyone at the club

Derek Adams paid tribute to everyone involved with Morecambe after they were handed a trip to Chelsea in the FA Cup third round.
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Monday’s draw sees the Shrimps travel to the Premier League giants for a first third round appearance in 18 years.

The match at Stamford Bridge will be played over the weekend of January 8-11 when Adams’ players meet a team 78 places above them in the pyramid.

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Morecambe reach FA Cup’s third round
Morecambe boss Derek Adams has faced Premier League opposition before when drawing at Liverpool with Plymouth Argyle in 2017   Picture: Getty ImagesMorecambe boss Derek Adams has faced Premier League opposition before when drawing at Liverpool with Plymouth Argyle in 2017   Picture: Getty Images
Morecambe boss Derek Adams has faced Premier League opposition before when drawing at Liverpool with Plymouth Argyle in 2017 Picture: Getty Images
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“Everyone associated with Morecambe Football Club throughout the years has been waiting for a tie like this.

“It’s been 18 years since the club progressed to the third round of the FA Cup and to get a Premier League team in the stature of Chelsea, away from home at Stamford Bridge, is fantastic.

“For all the hard work that people put in behind the scenes, the staff, the supporters and the players as well.

“You look at Les Dewhirst, the kit man, who has been associated with the club for so many years.

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“The chairmen, Rod (Taylor) and Graham (Howse), it’s fantastic for them because they have been working so hard as a lot of people have at the football club and they deserve to get their day to visit a Premier League ground.

“The players will really look forward to going there and performing. The FA Cup is really special, it’s what everyone looks forward to.

“For there to be just 12 teams left in the hat, one of those being last year’s FA Cup finalists, for us to get them, it has worked out extremely well.”

Taking a League Two side to a Premier League club is a path Adams knows well following his time with Plymouth Argyle.

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In January 2017, they drew 0-0 with Liverpool at Anfield when the Reds fielded the youngest starting line-up in their history at that stage.

That said, one of their rookies that day was a certain Trent Alexander-Arnold, who could still team up with Emre Can, Joe Gomez, Lucas Leiva and Divock Origi.

It was a day to remember for the Plymouth fans who made the trip but Adams is rueful that Morecambe’s supporters probably won’t experience the same feeling.

They have already missed out on a Carabao Cup tie with Newcastle United this season, and should the present post-lockdown tier system remain in place, only 2,000 home fans will be allowed at Stamford Bridge.

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Adams said: “If you look at it, you’ve got Tyson Fury, who has his gym in the corner of our stadium.

“A heavyweight in Chelsea against a lightweight in Morecambe. I think that’s fantastic for the town, it’s fantastic for the area but the supporters are the only aspect we’re disappointed with.

“It is a terrible shame that they can’t get into the games just now and I’m sure that if they were able to get into Stamford Bridge, then they would have gone in their thousands.

“That is the sad part. We’ve already had a Premier League team this season and now we have another; both times our supporters are not going to be there.”

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