Morecambe manager wants his players to impress the club's supporters

The Shrimps travel to Tranmere Rovers (6pm) for the first leg of their play-off semi-final, followed by Sunday’s return meeting at the Mazuma Stadium (12.30pm).

Both matches will have a limited number of fans in attendance on the latest step of the government’s roadmap out of lockdown following the pandemic.

The game at Tranmere will only be the second that Morecambe have played in front of supporters this season after last December’s win at Colchester United.

A crowd of 1,094 home fans witnessed that game, at a time when crowds were permitted in tiers one and two of the government’s regional approach to tackling the pandemic, which was in place at the time.

“We go to Tranmere first with their supporters in the ground and then we come back to our ground with our fans back in - and that’s what we’re looking forward to,” Adams said.

“I think with the way our players have performed this year and responded to every challenge, they will want to go out and show our supporters - who have only seen them on iFollow - just what they can do.

“It will be something different for us but I think the atmosphere is going to be great for both games.”

The absence of fans as a result of the pandemic means next Sunday will be Morecambe’s first match in front of a home crowd since drawing with Crewe Alexandra at the end of February last year.

Adams has taken charge of 76 Morecambe games since joining the club in November 2019, yet only 10 of those have taken place with supporters on home soil.

The hope is the 1,558 fans who are there at the weekend can see Morecambe book a Wembley appearance at the end of the month against either Newport County AFC or Forest Green Rovers.

Adams said: “Playing (the second leg) at home is always beneficial, even more so this year now we have supporters being allowed.

“That will be beneficial to us and it will be nice to have our own supporters cheering us on at the weekend.”

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