Morecambe boss reflects on 'horrendous' week

The Shrimps’ lingering play-off hopes were ended with a three-point deduction enforced by the English Football League, which was announced 48 hours before the trip to Stockport.

That punishment saw them drop down the League Two table; a decision that Brannan admitted had hit him and his players hard after their 2-0 defeat at Edgeley Park.

He said: “It’s been a horrendous week to be honest for us all and it definitely had an effect on everyone.

“There has been so much going on that it will hurt the lads, it’s bound to.

“It’s been really tough for the players and the staff because everyone had worked so hard to get us to where we were and the points deduction was obviously hugely disappointing.

“It hurt the lads; you saw they were disheartened in the first half and played for pride second half.”

The Shrimps are now preparing for their final home game of the season, when relegation-threatened Forest Green Rovers visit on Saturday.

Morecambe’s home form has been disappointing, having only won three of 14 matches on their own pitch under Brannan.

Nevertheless, the manager wants to end the season at the Mazuma Mobile Stadium on a high for the fans.

He said: “We have two games left and we will be giving it our all, playing for the club, playing for pride and playing for our fans who have been brilliant.

“We want as many people as possible to be there with us on Saturday.

“We are not going to down tools, it is not in our make-up.

“We’ll go into the last two games and give it our best shot.”

Elsewhere, the Shrimps missed out on two honours at Sunday’s EFL Awards ceremony in London.

The club had previously seen Farrend Rawson named as League Two’s EFL Player in the Community, while the Veterans Project was chosen as the division’s EFL Community Project of the Season.

However, it was Sheffield Wednesday’s Will Vaulks who won the overall Player in the Community prize, while Bristol City claimed the Community Project of the Season award.