Derek Adams: Morecambe must strive to emulate Fleetwood Town model

The two clubs meet at Highbury with both looking to back up Tuesday victories in League One.

Adams’ players saw off Port Vale on the same night Town got the better of Cambridge United.

Eight points might separate the teams on the pitch but, as Adams acknowledged, there is a greater distance off it.

While the Shrimps rent their training base, Fleetwood opened a multi-million pound facility almost seven years ago.

Their business model has also seen them develop young players before selling them on for substantial fees; most notably Jay Matete, Shayden Morris, James Hill and Paddy Lane.

That money then enables them to reinvest in the team, spending fees on players including Jayden Stockley, Jack Marriott and Scott Robertson.

“They are many steps ahead of us from a financial point of view,” Adams said.

“You look at their training ground, the money they are able to spend, the amount of staff in the first team; as a football club, that’s what Morecambe must strive to do.

“We have to use our money in a different way. We sold Sam Lavelle and Carlos Mendes Gomes, and that money has been used in different ways to keep the club going – whereas others are able to use that money to benefit the football club.

“That could be work on a training ground, as Exeter City have done, or improving the budget – and that’s something the football club has to look at.

“It’s something I’ve been telling them since I came to the football club. We’ve slightly improved our training ground but these are the small things that we have to do.”

While that might be looking towards the future, Adams is also focusing on the immediate picture in terms of trying to bring in a new face.

Money is available for the club to dip into the free agent market with the midfield and attacking areas a priority.

However, when asked before training on Thursday if the club was close to making a signing, Adams said: “We aren’t at this moment – and that’s probably more to do with (available) options at this moment in time.”