Morecambe boss unhappy at losing loanees

Ethan Walker, James Connolly, Eli King, Michael Mellon and Tom Bloxham had joined the Shrimps on deals planned to be for the entirety of the 2023-24 season.

Instead, all five were recalled by their respective parent clubs within an eight-day spell in the early stages of this month.

When asked for his thoughts on a first experience of a transfer window, Brannan said: “It’s been interesting to put it politely.

“It’s been up and down at times and, obviously, there are people you can trust and people who you can’t.

“That’s the way it works in football. They had done so well but the clubs have called them back, most of them to play in higher leagues, but would they have done so if they had struggled?”

Walker was the odd one out, recalled by Blackburn Rovers and loaned to Oldham Athletic after only 11 appearances in four months.

Connolly and Bloxham went back amid injury issues at Bristol Rovers and Shrewsbury Town respectively.

Mellon and King returned to Burnley and Cardiff City because they had performed well and were linked with moves to clubs higher up the pyramid.

The situation is one with which Morecambe are familiar, having seen Burnley recall Adam Phillips on deadline day in 2021 for a spell with Accrington Stanley.

It leaves them looking to rebuild a squad for the second time this season, having brought in 16 players last summer.

As ever, it’s a topic with contrasting views.

The first is, if a season-long loan is agreed, that should be that perhaps barring an injury that finishes a player’s campaign.

The alternative view is that any loanee is their parent club’s asset and, if they wish to recall a player for whatever reason, then that is their prerogative.

Brannan puts himself in the former camp and would like things to change.

“I don’t think it’s really fair to be honest,” he said.

“We should be the ones who can send them back, we’re the ones putting them in the shop window.

“For them to come to our club, they must like the way we’re playing, but it’s football; the bigger clubs come calling.”