By Pete Oliver

McIlroy guided the Shrimps to glory in the Conference play-off final

Morecambe manager Sammy McIlroy is confident the Shrimps can swim with the bigger fish of the Football League.

Morecambe gained League status for the first time in their 87-year history by winning the Conference play-off final against Exeter City at Wembley.

McIlroy admits the victory and its implications, secured at the end of his first full season in charge at Christie Park, have barely sunk in yet.

"I don't think that will happen until the presentations and player-of-the-year do on Friday night," the former Manchester United midfielder told BBC Sport.

"It's been a hectic few days but I'm dead chuffed for the chairman, the directors, the players and the supporters and everyone at Morecambe.

"It's a great achievement."

The north Lancashire seaside town is rightly wallowing in its success but McIlroy will not dwell on the Wembley triumph for long.

"We don't stand still," he said.

A lot of teams that have gone up over the last five years have struggled Morecambe chairman Peter McGuigan

McIlroy will meet with chairman Peter McGuigan in the next few days to thrash out plans for the future.

"He's a fantastic chairman and very ambitious and I am sure he will be looking to do something with the ground," McIlroy added.

Plans are in place to add a new stand at the neat 5,500 capacity Christie Park, as well as the crowd control facilities required for League Two status.

Morecambe will also increase their staffing levels over the summer with McGuigan pledging to put the infrastructure in place to make the most of promotion.

"We are conscious that a lot of teams that have gone up over the last five years have struggled. We are aware of that," McGuigan said.

"But with Sammy at the helm and with the players he will bring in I hope we can break that trend."

McIlroy's influence will be key as the former Northern Ireland manager draws on a lifetime's experience.

The 52-year-old took Macclesfield Town up out of the Conference a decade ago and then into League One at the first attempt, as well as managing at Stockport and Bury.

McIlroy expects most of his players, including Wembley goalscorers Danny Carlton and Garry Thompson, to handle the step up in class.

We have a loyal bunch of supporters but we need more to get behind the team Sammy McIlroy

But he also wants to add some extra Football League know-how to a predominantly young squad based around a core of homegrown players who have taken Morecambe into uncharted territory.

"We have got Neil Sorvel and Danny Adams but then you look round and think 'who's the next one?' so we do need a little bit of (League) experience," McIlroy said.

"It does not need major surgery, but we have got to improve it.

"I have got some transfer targets I will discuss with the chairman and if we get them I think we can hold our own.

"But I think when you have a bit of success as a team you have to improve as well.

"You can't sit back at a level. You have to try and improve and add to it.

"That's what we did this season when we were missing a couple of key players for a spell. We brought players in because we didn't want to fall short and it will be the same next year."

On the field, the Shrimps are in good hands and McIlroy hopes the rest of Morecambe will also step up to the mark.

Around 12,000 fans made the trip to Wembley and McIlroy hopes many of those will become regulars to boost an average home gate of nearer 1,500.

"It's a big question now and we will be asking the town to support the club," he added.

"We have a loyal bunch of supporters but we need more to get behind the team.

"It's a different ball game now. There are a lot of clubs in the North-West who will be bringing plenty of their supporters.

"There will be some really good games at Christie Park next season."

Wembley saw to that.