Morecambe may have to sign a host of new faces

Adams saw the Shrimps finish the season with a 30th league defeat when they lost 2-1 to Harrogate Town at the Mazuma Mobile Stadium last Saturday.

Morecambe were already certain to finish bottom of League Two but, come the final whistle, they were 13 points adrift of safety.

Next season sees the Shrimps back in non-league for the first time since 2007, with the manager anticipating a busy summer in preparation for the campaign to come.

Adams said: “It becomes a really busy period from now until the start of pre-season.

“We have to look to improve things and recruit new players.

“There is no doubt we are going to have to have change again, it’s just the way it is.

“We are going to have to sign double figure players again and that is never easy, but it’s the reality of the situation.

“It’s extremely tough but I’ve chosen to take this opportunity and I’m delighted that I have done so.

“There’s not many supporter bases who would have supported us like our fans have, they understand the reasons why we are where we are.

“We could have done better with the players we had and the players could have done better at times this season, there is no doubt about it, but from top to bottom, we have to take responsibility.

“I’m extremely disappointed for the supporter base (and) the community because collectively, as a football club, we have tried our best but we’ve let the supporter base down.”

In terms of the Morecambe squad, Adams will be talking to players early this week.

One player who definitely won’t be returning is defender George Ray, who has announced his retirement from the game.

He joined the Shrimps after two years with Barrow AFC but saw his season badly affected by injury.

Having only managed 45 minutes on day one at Walsall, he returned against Carlisle United in the Vertu Trophy three months later.

A substitute appearance at Swindon Town later that month proved to be his final appearance for the club.