Morecambe boss Derek Adams speaks on fans’ planned protest for game against Port Vale

Morecambe boss Derek Adams speaks on the fans’ planned protest and the current situation for this weekend’s game against Port Vale.

Adams mentioned that everyone has the freedom of speech, indicating his acknowledgment of the fans’ right to express their opinions through protest.

He emphasised that what fans can do best for the team is to support them, reflecting a hope that despite the protest, the fans would still rally behind the team during the League Two fixture.

This situation highlights the tension sometimes present between club management and fans, particularly when results or club decisions do not meet expectations. Adams’ approach seems to be one of understanding the fans’ right to protest while encouraging unity and support when it comes to match day.

1920 Union said: “5 months on and Jason Whittingham is still no closer to selling to a reputable buyer. We need support from all Port Vale fans on Saturday, spread the word and bring your balloons”

BBC Sport Lancashire Interviewer: You’ve been here, obviously, in 3 spells, Derek, but a long time relatively speaking. Certainly, a long time by football manager standards, like it’s down to less than a year, the lifespan of a league manager. How would you describe your relationship with the fan base here? Is it the kind of club where you get to know people personally?

Derek: Yeah. I mean, I’ve been here 5 years from the first time that I came here. I came here on the 7th November 2019 and, you know, 5 years and 3 different spells. And I understand the football club. I understand how it works. I understand the supporters, you know, when, they’ve got frustrations at times off the field, sometimes it’s on the field as well. But we are realistic as a congregation that we understand where we are and the parameters that we’re working in. And I think that has always been important from Morecambe Football Club. Where we want to get to and how we get there is totally different, but we will get there together and that’s how the football club has been its way, you know, over the years.

Interviewer: I’m interested in the word congregation there, where I guess in a religious sense, people from all kind of different backgrounds come together because they believe in one thing. Are there similarities with a football crowd? Because I guess there’s so many different backgrounds and characters out there.

Derek: Well, there is because they all believe in Morecambe Football Club and, they’re all from different backgrounds, I think that is what makes football a popular place, everyone’s different on the terracing, everyone’s from a different era, different background, by at the end of the day, they’ve all got one goal is to have their football team succeed. And I think that’s why the chemistry around football supporters and football teams is prominent in the community. And that’s what drives success in the town and that people feed off the good feeling that a football club can bring people.

Interviewer: For a big chunk of that 5 years, you’ve obviously getting to know the players, getting to know the people. The current situation, there obviously the Shrimps Trust planning the protest for this game this weekend. Do you have sympathy with the supporters for the position they find themselves in?

Derek: Yeah. We do. It’s difficult because discussions are going off the field and not everything can come from off the field out in the public domain. And I think that that’s what everyone finds difficult. But when you’re working inside the football club, that can be the same as well. And I think that, you know, it’s been a long time. We get where everything is going. We’re hopeful that a conclusion can be soon, because that will benefit us, hopefully off the field, we don’t know. It can be a good thing, it can be a bad thing. Nobody knows. But what I will say is that in the background, people are trying very hard to make these things have a conclusion, and have a good ending.

Interviewer: As we discussed last week, these interviews, essentially, are, you talking to your fan base. What would your message be to people coming to the Port Vale game at the weekend who want to protest, want to make themselves heard?

Derek: Yeah. I mean, I think that, everyone, has the freedom of of speech. And, I think that, what the supporters can do for the team is support the team and, you know, and what they have done throughout the years. They go home and away, they spend their hard earned money to go and see their team get a victory. And they’ll come here on Saturday and do likewise. And I think that is important and you know, see Morecambe supporters do that.

Interviewer: Is it more noticeable to you on the touch line? I think they’re gonna release some balloons. There’s perhaps a suggestion they might turn their back on the game for a period. I guess, players are in a bubble and they’ve got blinkers on and they’re concentrating on what’s going on. Can you take in more from the touch line or are you as dialled in as the players are?

Derek: Yeah. We we are concentrated on the game, and, I think that that’s really important because as a football player, you see what’s on the pitch. You don’t see what’s off the pitch at times in that 90 minutes. And it’s the same as a manager. I’m quite, I don’t look back. I don’t look behind me. I think that that’s important. I concentrate what I can see on the pitch usually trying to see how we can do better in the game, how we can coach and improve our players with information that we give, how we can motivate them. And that’s why the manager is on the side of the pitch.

Interviewer: You’ve always been a spokesman for the club, Derek. I know sometimes that’s been frustrating that there haven’t been other people answering the questions. You’ve also been very consistent in controlling what you can control. In this instance, I guess, winning football matches, FA Cup prize money will help, trophy prize money will help, staying in League Two will massively help. Do you just have to put your blinkers on and concentrate on that?

Derek: Yeah. Because, you know, when I was here the last time that I did that, that affect me and, it affected, you know, off the field affected me personally. And, I didn’t, you know, let that come out, but it did. And that was part of the choice that I made to move away, because I knew what was going on in the background. This time I’ve come back, I’ve asked not to be told of anything until there’s a conclusion in the matter. And I think that’s important because then I can focus on what I can can deal with. And, I think that’s what I’ve tried to do, you know, this season.

Interviewer: Is it quite an emotive emotional subject for you now? Because you’ve got a connection to the players. Do you have a lot in common with a lot of the fans in that sense?

Derek: Yeah. I mean, I, listen, if I’m a football manager, a director of football, a chairman, an owner, I run the football club in a different way. You know what I mean? Because that’s my way of dealing with the situation, And I’m an employee of the football club, so that’s different in itself. I can only speak about the things that I can affect. I can’t affect opt away, but what I can try and affect is on the football field, and that’s what I’ve got to do as a manager. If it was in a different role, then quite clearly I could do things in a different way.

Shrimps Trust said: “Update 8th November 2024 Further to the members meet of today’s date the Shrimps Trust would like to provide the following statement:

“Port Vale Match (16th November 2024) In conversation with our members, the following action will be taken at the Port Vale match.

– There is a meeting at The Exchange at 12 noon. People will be walking from there to the Mazuma in a slow march at 2pm.

– We are asking Trust Members to meet at the Mazuma Stadium at 2:30pm at the latest, we will be handing out black balloons for fans to take into the stadium.

– We will be providing banners that say, ‘Save Our Club’ and ‘Save Our Shrimps’ for people to display in the ground throughout the match.

– At kick off the black balloons will be released for display.

– On the 26th minute supporters will turn their back to the pitch for 2 minutes.

– Simultaneously, fans with ‘For Sale’ placards, will hold them up for display for the 2 minutes.

Stronger Together.

We have assurances from the club, and the stewarding team, that none of the items referred to here will be confiscated, and possession of them will not lead to refusal of entry to the Mazuma Stadium. Banners will only be refused entry if they do not have the relevant fire certificates.

Protests are most effective when there is mass participation. We urge everyone that will be at the match on the 16th November to take part in planned protest action.

Action thereafter We discussed action after the Port Vale match, and various suggestions were discussed.

As a group it was the general feeling that further action will involve protest that will involve the media and attracting their attention.

If you have suggestion as to subsequent action please email hello(ashrimpstrust.co.uk. We will share details once we have them.

Media We will contact the media with a press release tomorrow, and hope that we can get ‘eyes’ on these endevours. It is imperative that the current and prospective owners feel pressure from us all to progress the sale quickly. Futher delays are unacceptable. The prospective owners know what is expected from the EFL, and have done for some time. We as a Trust urge them to provide what is needed now. For media enquiries please reach out to media@shrimpstrust.co.uk

Regular Updates

Our next regular update from the EFL, MFC Board, and Bond Group will be published next week. We did have contact from Jason Whittingham today that stated:

“The work to progress is ongoing and I hope to be able to give you a more meaningful update later today if we i.e The Club, The Buyer and Me achieve what we hope to achieve today”

No such meaningful update has been forthcoming. We are unable to trust the communication from Jason Whittingham, as all communications from him with promises fall through. We have expressed our irritation at this approach.

We will continue to be open and transparent in our communication, we publicly ask the same from the ownership.

Note: Full minutes of the meeting will be emailed to members when they have been prepared.

*** It is the position of the Shrimps Trust that no action should encroach on the pitch or effect the financial position of the club***