“I think there’ll be a few”: Adam Lakeland identifies numerous possible National League North title candidates
Morecambe’s new manager thinks a number of clubs will be in the running to win National League North in 2026/27.
Adam Lakeland believes there will be a number of teams out to deny Morecambe an immediate return to the National League next season.
The Shrimps will play regionalised football for the first time in three decades after this season’s relegation saw them drop to National League North for 2026/27.
Only the champions will go up automatically to non-league’s top flight, while the teams finishing second to seventh face a play-off campaign.
Although Morecambe will be considered as one of the favourites to lift the title, Lakeland has identified at least six other teams he thinks will be in and around the battle for silverware.
“I think there’ll be a few,” Lakeland responded when asked at Morecambe’s recent fans’ forum if any teams stood out in next season’s NLN.
“You’ve got South Shields, a very good team, big budget, almost won the league this year.
“You’ve got Macclesfield, big club, big budget, but then you’ve got the likes of Hednesford who have come up, they have got a lot of money behind them, the same with Harborough.
“Brackley have come down, who won the league two years ago, and there’s others I’ve not even touched on - Buxton, Scarborough, who got in the play-offs this year, Chester, with a new manager and new impetus.
“It’s going to be really difficult but we’re probably the biggest club in that league so I’d expect us to be right up there and we should be right up there.
“That comes with pressure but that’s the job and that’s got to be the aim, so there’s going to be many good teams in there but we’re going to be one of them.”