Play-Offs - Morecambe win League status
Aberdeen clinch UEFA Cup slot
Confusion abounds at Torquay
In front of a 40,000 crowd at Wembley, Morecambe are promoted to the Football League for the first time in their 87-year history after beating Exeter City in the Conference Play-Off final. In a far more exciting game than yesterday’s FA Cup Final, Lee Phillips headed the Grecians into an early lead. Morecambe wasted the opportunity to level from the penalty spot before Gary Thompson made it 1-1 shortly before the break. Danny Carlton stuck the all-important goal on 82 minutes with a fearsome shot into the top corner. Shrimps boss and former Manchester United star Sammy McIlroy is thrilled with their success:
“It ranks right up there with the FA Cup finals, World Cup finals and managing Northern Ireland. It was a brilliant feeling, one of the best I have had in my time in the game. When the winner hit the net it was such a magnificent goal I wanted to celebrate with the players.”
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The last afternoon in the SPL season saw Aberdeen secure third position and qualification for next term’s UEFA Cup. The Dons beat Rangers 2-0 at Pittodrie with a first-half brace from Scott Severin.
Confusion surrounds a takeover at Torquay United. Following their relegation to the Conference, Leroy Rosenior returned as manager on Thursday but he believes he lost his new job only ten minutes after the conclusion of the press conference to announce his arrival. He received a phone call from owner Mike Bateson explaining that he had agreed the sale of the club to a consortium including Colin Lee, who would be returning as director of football. However, managing director Debbie Hancox insists the deal has not yet been concluded and a few guns have been jumped:
“Colin Lee is not involved in the consortium at all. There are about eight people behind it but he is not one of them. Whoever the new owners decide to appoint as manager will be up to them but it is a long way from going through yet.”
The current record for shortest-serving manager belongs to Bill Lambton when decided to return to his coaching role at Grimsby Town only three days after agreeing to be the manager at Scunthorpe United in April 1959.
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