Morecambe's league meeting with Sheffield Wednesday shows the Shrimps' progress

The Shrimps are due to welcome Sheffield Wednesday to the Mazuma Stadium on Tuesday (7.45pm).

It should have been the second of a home double-header but last Saturday’s match with Derby County was postponed following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

That would have been the first competitive meeting between Morecambe and the Rams, though the Shrimps are looking for consecutive home wins over the Owls after beating them 1-0 last season.

Putting it in further context, 30 years ago saw Morecambe and Wednesday looking to build on third-placed finishes the season before; the old First Division for the Owls and the Northern Premier League for the Shrimps.

Speaking before last weekend’s call-off, Adams said: “It’s fantastic to have games on Saturday and Tuesday at home against Derby County and Sheffield Wednesday.

“I don’t think many Morecambe fans in the past would have envisaged this happening unless a multi-millionaire had come in and bought the football club!

“What we’ve done over the last few years is use the money we’ve got wisely and we’ve been able to build from that.

“Derby County and Sheffield Wednesday are two massive football clubs who have found themselves in League One.

“You only have to look at the talent both clubs have got in their teams – I could rattle off a good number of names in their squads.”

Facing clubs with larger profiles, expectations and fanbases was a challenge in itself at the best of times for some of the division’s smaller teams.

Another headache for managers this season was the summer’s rule change allowing clubs to make five substitutions during a game.

As Adams acknowledged, it’s a situation which plays into the hands of those who are able to have bigger squads at their disposal in comparison to the rest of the division.

He added: “The bigger clubs did benefit when the rule came in.

“It does give an advantage to the sides with the bigger squads and the most talent on their bench.

“There’s no doubt the bigger ones in the division can take advantage of it but we’re just looking forward to the games and pitting ourselves against clubs like that.”