Sammy McIlroy Leaves Morecambe By Mutual Consent

Morecambe have parted company with Sammy McIlroy and assistant Mark Lillis just days after the club's final game of the season. Morecambe finished in 20^th position in League Two, just four points above the relegation zone, in what was ultimately considered a disappointing campaign.

McIlroy, who has previously managed Macclesfield Town, Northern Ireland and Stockport County, joined the then Conference side Morecambe in November 2005 in a caretaker role, before signing a permanent deal the following May. In his first full season with the club the 56-year-old took the Shrimps into the Football League for the first time in their history after narrowly beating Exeter City 2-1 in the 2007 Conference play-off final at Wembley. Last season the club finished an agonizing one place off the automatic promotion slots, before being thrashed in the play-offs by the eventual winners Dagenham & Redbridge. With big things expected at the beginning of the 2010/11 season the club never got going and before time found themselves fighting for their lives towards the bottom of the table. Despite only winning two of their last nine games of the season, the club managed to avoid the drop.

Morecambe captain Jim Bentley is the bookies favourite to take over from McIlroy, and Victor Chandler have the 34-year-old defender available at 2/1. Other contenders include the former Carlisle United manager Neil MacDonald and the ex-Blackburn Rovers boss Paul Ince, who are both priced at 10/1.

Next Morecambe Manage Odds

• 2/1 – Jim Bentley


• 10/1 – Neil MacDonald


• 10/1 – Paul Ince


• 10/1 – Martin Foyle


• 10/1 – Jim Gannon


• 12/1 – John Coleman


• 12/1 – Mike Duxbury


• 12/1 – Jim Harvey


• 12/1 – Mark Stimson


• 12/1 – Martin Ling


• 12/1 – Dave Penney


• 12/1 – Gudjon Thordarson