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A Message from the lads (old thread)

PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2010 9:56 pm
by JIM BENTLEY
Dear all,
I may not have the same way with words as the likes of Freez, Posh etc. (and even Christies child :D ) but I thought it was best to join up, sign in and post a message on behalf of myself and the players.
First of all I must apologize sincerely to you all for the shambolic showing on Sunday. I, and I’m sure the rest of the lads, have never felt so low, shell shocked and embarrassed after a match in all my career. Such a big game, play-off semi final, Live on Sky in front of the nation including many friends and family all over the country and around the world rooting for us to do well. I really can’t describe how sorry we all are to put you through such a terrible display. We know you the fans are hurting and feeling down, but believe me us players are too, massively. We let ourselves down, the manager, the board, the back room staff, friends, family and most of all you lot. We obviously didn’t want the first leg to turn out like that. The club gave us everything we needed, we prepared right, but the fact is we just simply didn’t turn up and it’s hard to find a reason why. From big Baz right through the team we where basically shite from the first whistle to the last! A performance littered with mistakes and well below par performances throughout. I feel the criticism aimed at us is fair (to a certain extent) as it is fair when we play well and receive the good comments and pats on the back. I’m no different, I criticise/applaud my team, it’s my opinion at the end of the day and you lot are no different your entitled to yours and that’s what makes the game great.
Sometimes in life as you all know, things happen that are out of control, totally out of nature, a freak result and Sunday in London was certainly “one of those days”. Don’t get me wrong credit were credit is due, Dagenham were outstanding on the day and certainly put us in our place. Us on the other hand, we just weren’t at the races, It was a massive blip and we got what we deserved, nothing!!
There is a good relationship between ourselves and Dagenham going back a few years since the conference days, and I must admit if it isn’t to be us I hope they do well. I have got a lot of respect for John Still (who’s a top manager and a nice fella also) his squad of players and their fans too, who seem to be a good bunch like yourselves (you always get the odd one though, like the fella behind the dug out feature in Mondays Sun) But, I have got to say the support you (our bunch) gave us down there was absolutely outstanding, something I don’t think I have ever witnessed from a set of fans before. To clap, sing and continue to get behind your team like you did (even at 6 nil down!) was in two words “F***ing brilliant!!” The reception you gave us at the final whistle after such a poor result/display made us all realize what a great bunch you are, and I can totally understand why some daggers fans have come on here to congratulate you all. You certainly did yourselves proud. It has been a difficult few days but the support you have shown us has gave us a bit of a lift.
Now come tomorrow night, the second leg, again in front of the cameras and a full house for the last ever game at Christie Park, we have a chance for us as players to restore some professional pride and give you something to cheer about as the door shuts on your/our home for the final time. I don’t think anyone is giving us a chance of clawing six goals back against a good Dagenham side, but I can guarantee every player that steps out over that white line wearing a Morecambe shirt will be giving their absolute all and believing we can do it, it’s the very least we can do after what we put you through on Sunday. I am sure on the night, win, lose or draw, you will give “good ‘ald Crusty” a great send off and I hope you all enjoy yourselves.
The players and management are proud of finishing 4th in our third ever season of league football. We have had some great games over the past nine months or so, the Crewe comeback, 5 – 0 Bournemouth, Sven and Sol’s Notts County etc. We are still a relatively small town club compared with some of the big boys, but the club are building, improving and we deserve through all the hard work to be on a level playing field with these more fancied clubs. Such terms as “small town Morecambe”, “Little Shrimps”, “Tin Pot/Conference Team” etc. etc. are heard less and less these days as more fans around the country are beginning to stand up and take notice. Come tomorrow night Dagenham will come and go, what will be will be, but come next season we begin a new era at the Globe Arena, and us as players feel proud to be involved in such big events in the clubs history. There will always be ups and downs, fallings out between players, management and players, fans and players but as Lills says “the family always stick together”
Sunday the 16th May was a very bad day at the office all round, but we need to regroup and go again tomorrow. No matter what goes on in 24 hours or so time it’s nice to know you the fans, the management, the board, the players and everyone connected with the club will always stick together through the good times and the bad, through thick and thin!!! The future is bright and like someone said on here “Enjoy the ride”

Many thanks for your time and continued support,

Best Wishes
Jim

Re: A Message from the lads

PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2010 9:57 pm
by EDD
Well said...

You've help made Morecambe Football club what it is.... Fantastic.

You have my utter respect.

Re: A Message from the lads

PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2010 10:10 pm
by halftimeresults
Thanks for that JIM

Now go on and put your name in the Morecambe record book as the last person to score at Christie.
I cant think of any other person who deserves that honour.

we salute you Captain fantastic.

Re: A Message from the lads

PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2010 10:10 pm
by Mark S
Made this a sticky so everyone will see it and hopefully add his or her best wishes to the bottom.

It takes balls to come on here and say all that. That is why Jimbo is the Captain. As he says we are a family and we need to stick together! We have just had our most succesful season ever and that is something to be proud of!

Thank you Jim. Thank you to the rest of the team. You have done us proud over the whole season and one bad day does not define a season. Tomorrow night is a chance to show our team how we feel about them and to send Christie Park off with a party to end all parties! I was proud to have been there on Sunday as I am proud to be a Shrimp 24/7.

I cant wait for tomorrow night to show these lads how we feel about them. :D

Re: A Message from the lads

PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2010 10:12 pm
by John
Spot on! We will be behind you all the way.

Re: A Message from the lads

PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2010 10:14 pm
by steve mfc
First of all its great that you have taken the time to come on here and give us your views, it is very much appreciated, you say that you and the lads will give your all tomorrow night, well that's all we ever ask Jim, well most of us anyway.

Tomorrow night will be a celebration, not just because its the last game at Christie Park but also a recognition of a great season and that's why the support was so good on Sunday.

Team, management, and fans as one that's the way it should be, thanks again.

Re: A Message from the lads

PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2010 10:15 pm
by shrimpnsave
the fans dont need an apology jim..you did your all...all we ask is for the team to go out and play the final game at cp... with honor and of course a victory

1-0 will :o do

Re: A Message from the lads

PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2010 10:19 pm
by N Saban
Thank you Jim for taking the time to post your views. You are a great captain and ambassador for the club. The North stand will be rocking tomorrow night and maybe the Christie Park magic may make 1 final appearence!! JIMBO!!!! :D

Re: A Message from the lads

PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2010 10:20 pm
by ockers
first class post Jim!!!
song for tomorrow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3mOpf0d ... re=related

one for mark s

Re: A Message from the lads

PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2010 10:20 pm
by Morecambe Jack
JIMBO! JIMBO! JIMBO!

Lets all give Christie Park a good send off tomorrow and show the rest of the country watching in on Sky what Morecambe are really all about.

MORECAMBE 'TILL I DIE!

Re: A Message from the lads

PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2010 10:24 pm
by Crooky MFC
Jimbo, what a legend!

We can promise you, the North Stand will be rocking and bouncing, singing from the first whilstle until the last, win lose or draw. We're behind you all the way mate!

COME ON ! WE CAN DO IT :D

Re: A Message from the lads

PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2010 10:26 pm
by MFC James
Thanks Jim, great post! :D

You can be assured of the North Stand (possibly the main stand/carwash? ;) ) giving you the vocal support from the 1st kick to the last ever kick at Christie Park! Lets show the rest of the country why we are the best fans in the land! :D

Re: A Message from the lads

PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2010 10:28 pm
by thegentlegiant
Hi Jimbo,

I would firstly like to say thank you for your comments the result was hard to take and the flat tyre on the coach did not help, dont think we got out of dag till 5.30 ish!!

But on a positive note the fans we're brilliant and also the final 20 mins in the game was very good, we showed some promise and hopefully we will come out guns blazing tomorrow night, as we all know football is a roller coaster ride and we are coming to what has to be the best roller coaster ride yet.

Once again thanks to all the players for all the memories you have given us this season.

Cheers

Sam Hamblett

Re: A Message from the lads

PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2010 10:31 pm
by bigreddog
cheers Jim, good luck tomorrow to you and all the lads and staff. honest and straight talking as usual. you will see and hear tomorrow what we all think of you all, we didn't stop on sunday and we wont be stopping tomorrow. sometimes I'm so proud to be a morecambe fan I could cry, nothing is ever going to stop that. apologies in advance for the tinnitus.

now mark lets get some good songs to get us going. up the shrimps.

Re: A Message from the lads

PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2010 10:48 pm
by Blackpool Shrimp
Jim Bentley = great player,great captain but most of all great person and personally am honoured that he as served my great club

Re: A Message from the lads

PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2010 10:55 pm
by NeilG
What a fantastic gesture

Inspirational Captain and top bloke.

Whatever happens tomorrow, 4th spot in L2 is the best in the history of the club.

Let's be loud and proud !


Come on Morecambe !!!!

Re: A Message from the lads

PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2010 10:56 pm
by mrpotatohead
As mark said on the presentation night, Jim is the most important captain in the history of our club, people that love our club have the right to vent frustration, I personally do it in a jokey wind up fashion, under the circumstances regarding sunday, I think on balance, fans on here were quite mild, I really believe that most people on this board are realistic about what happened on sunday, and all understand that the players and staff feel it worse, I hope one day jim leads us onto wembley as a manager, if he does that one day with another team, I would pay to see that game, I would say this though, anyone who registers on this board obviously pays in week in week out to support our club, a bit of a mild rant from armchair managers is par for the course, look on burnleys message board if you want to see real vitriol, Good luck tomorrow lads, we will all be 100% behind you, I am looking forward to a weekend in a park home in silloth instead of wembley :lol: :lol:

Re: A Message from the lads

PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2010 11:15 pm
by marky
That was a very interesting and rather emotive read, I must say. Takes me back to the days when the players and fans used to drink together in JB's after the match. Jim, as someone who was critical of what happened on Sunday, I too would like to thank you for taking the time to write your thoughts. There aren't many club captains (if any) in league football who would do such a thing and I'm sure it can't have been easy. Go out and restore some pride tomorrow night. That's all the fans want :)

Re: A Message from the lads

PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2010 11:22 pm
by Bare Ben
marky wrote:Takes me back to the days when the players and fans used to drink together in JB's after the match.


That still happens :? . Great post Jim, you can all be immensely proud of this season.

Re: A Message from the lads

PostPosted: Thu May 20, 2010 12:27 am
by marky No.1
Excuse me, I thought this was a FANS messageboard! :shock:


You have just won post of the season, Jim.

Thanks to you and all the lads for many happy memories along the way.

Lets give Christie the send off it deserves eh :D

Proud to be Morecambe. M&M

Re: A Message from the lads

PostPosted: Thu May 20, 2010 12:48 am
by Crazeenick
Great post Jim. Thanks for taking the time to come on here to say what you you think - we all appreciate it.

ALL genuine Shrimps fans realise that last Sunday was just a bad day at the office (we all have them!) and it happens to all teams now and again. When we gained promotion from the Conference Mark Lawrenson on the TV predicted we would come straight back down to the Conference - how wrong he was :lol: :lol: To finish 11th, 11th again and then 4th (reaching the play-offs) is a fantastic achievement for a club of our size. All credit to our great Board, Sammy/Lills, all the other staff and of course our fantastic players.

Jim - you are a fantastic club captain and a real inspiration. We are all 100% behind you.

I know we can't realistically expect to turn round a 6-0 deficit, but let's finish the season with a decent win to restore a bit of pride and say goodbye to Christie Park in good style.

Then we can all look forward to a memorable 2010/11 season at the Globe Arena - exciting times!

Up the Shrimps !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: A Message from the lads

PostPosted: Thu May 20, 2010 4:28 am
by morecambe mick
I believe we can turn around the goal deficit.

I believe I'll have a lump in my throat all day after reading Jims post.

I believe Jim Bentley to be the most successful captain at our club during our most successful period.

I believe Dagenham won't know what's hit them after tonights game, they'll be shell shocked.

I believe.

Re: A Message from the lads

PostPosted: Thu May 20, 2010 5:03 am
by captain sparkle
WOW! Was i the only person reading it with a tear in their eye?
The dambusters music playing?

we can pull this thing out of the bag!!
'it's a game of 2 halves', we're only half way through.
No one expected THAT scoreline last saturday,what do people expect tonight?
let's all give it 'some rice' tonight,
us , the lads, the back room staff, the bar staff, the car park attendants, the turnstile folk, the car wash staff, mrs. brady- the old lady, everyone
BELIEVE!

JUST GIVING/CAPTAIN SPARKLE

Re: A Message from the lads

PostPosted: Thu May 20, 2010 5:52 am
by mfcbro
Great post jimbo i know it took a lot to post a message,but well written and i for 1 will be behind the team tonight.lets restore some pride and go out on a high.As i have said before we have had a superb season.

Re: A Message from the lads

PostPosted: Thu May 20, 2010 6:16 am
by HALMA 1983
Captain Marvel comes to the rescue! Moments of true inspiration and dedicated leadership are shown in Jims post and tonight we go again!!!

Now go out there and put 7 past Kermit and bring the house down :mrgreen:

P.S Keep up the good work 'our glorious leader' :D