After Christmas, there is nothing better than watching your team on Boxing Day, and for you Valiants, you will have the pleasure of seeing the Vale face off against Morecambe at Vale Park.
The Shrimps have had a tough season so far, and they currently sit bottom of League One after 21 games.
In Morecambe’s last match, they had the tricky task of travelling to league leaders Plymouth Argyle, and despite a battling performance, they came out on the wrong side of a 2-1 scoreline.
After the postponement of Vale’s home fixture against Accrington Stanley last week, the Valiants haven’t played a league fixture since the 1-0 loss to Bristol Rovers on the 10th December.
However, we did face off against Salford City in the Papa Johns Trophy on Tuesday, and unfortunately, we left the Peninsula Stadium out of the tournament after a 1-0 loss.
It’s sure to be a brilliant clash on the 26th, and before we get to matchday, here is what you need to know about Morecambe.
ONE TO WATCH: Jensen Weir
Morecambe’s star man in the middle, Jensen Weir, will be one to keep an eye on when the Shrimps come to Vale Park on Monday.
The 20-year-old is currently on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion, and so far, he has impressed in red, netting five league goals in 18 appearances from the middle of the park.
Born in Warrington, Weir came through the academy at Wigan Athletic before signing a senior deal at the Latics in 2017.
Unfortunately for the young starlet, he only made four appearances for the Lancashire side before moving down south to Brighton in 2020.
Weir is yet to make an appearance for the seagulls, but he did spend last season on loan at fellow League One side, Cambridge United, scoring one goal and providing one assist in over 20 appearances.
Brighton decided the 20-year-old needed some more time on loan this campaign, and in July of this year, he joined Derek Adams’ side on a season-long loan deal.
As previously stated, Weir has shone at the Mazuma Stadium, and Vale will want to make sure they keep the youngster quiet on Boxing Day.
THE MAN AT THE HELM: Derek Adams
Derek Adams is currently enduring his second spell in the dugout at Morecambe after previously leading the Shrimps between 2019 and 2021.
Morecambe re-appointed the Scotsman in February 2022, only nine months after leaving the club to become the manager at Bradford City.
Adams started his career as a player, making over 300 appearances in the professional game for six clubs, including Burnley, Motherwell, and Aberdeen.
The 47-year-old spent most of his playing days at Motherwell, making over 150 appearances for the club in a six-year spell.
In 2006, Adams took on his first coaching role when he joined Ross County as a player-coach before being promoted to player manager a year later.
The Glaswegian coach retired from playing in 2009, and in two spells at County, managed to gain a number of promotions while also guiding them to the 2010 Scottish Cup final.
After his second spell at the Staggies ended in 2014, Adams spent four years at Plymouth Argyle, guiding them to League One during his time at the club.
Morecambe appointed the former midfielder for the first time in 2019, and during his first tenure at the club, Adams led the Shrimps to their first-ever promotion to the third tier.
Adams decided that his career needed to go in another direction after his success in Lancashire, but he came back to Morecambe after his tenure at Bradford City did not turn out as planned.
The Shrimps succeeded in staying afloat last campaign, and although they are at the foot of the table this time round, Adams knows what it takes to get this team firing again.
STADIUM: Mazuma Stadium
The Mazuma Stadium has been the home of the Shrimps since 2010 when construction was complete, and it can hold up to nearly 6,500 fans.
Morecambe’s old ground, Christie Park, was their home for 89 years, and after the construction of the new Mazuma Stadium, it was demolished.
Vale fans have made a number of trips to the Mazuma Stadium, but for this fixture, it will be Vale Park that plays host to the clash.
HEAD-TO-HEAD LAST FIVE:
Vale wins: 2
Draws: 0
Morecambe wins: 3
Unfortunately, Morecambe have managed to get the better of us in three of our last five meetings, with the most recent fixture between the sides coming in 2021.
Our last meeting with the Shrimps at Vale Park will bring happy memories to you Valiants, with Vale coming out on top 1-0 in April 2021, our very own Nathan Smith scoring the one and only goal that day.