Morecambe FC sale completed

It has been announced that the long-awaited sale of Morecambe Football Club has been completed.

Bond Group Investments said on Sunday evening they had sold their majority shareholding to investment firm Panjab Warriors.

The club had been up for sale for almost three years, having gone on the market in September 2022.

Supporters group The Shrimps Trust said they were "relieved" and that the sale "safeguarded the immediate future of the club".

Lizzi Collinge, MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale, said she was "pleased to see this awful saga come to an end".

The statement, published on the Shrimps' website, said: "Bond Group Investments can now confirm that it has sold its majority shareholding in Morecambe Football Club to Panjab Warriors.

"I would urge all fans of the club to now focus their energy into supporting the club as it enters the next chapter of its story."

The Shrimps Trust said: "We are relieved that the sale of Morecambe Football Club has finally been completed, safeguarding the immediate future of the club, its remaining staff, and our participation in the National League this season.

"We note that although we have confirmed the sale has been concluded, further steps are expected tomorrow to conclude National League requirements to lift our suspension.

"We warmly welcome Panjab Warriors and the Sikh community as the new custodians of our football club, the first in professional English football, and we thank them for their perseverance in securing the deal. Chardi Kala, a Punjabi term meaning a state of optimism even in the face of adversity, has certainly been shown in abundance over recent weeks.

"As first-time owners of a football club, there will no doubt be challenges and learning experiences ahead. As the official supporters' trust of Morecambe Football Club, we will continue to play our part in sustaining an outstanding, modern and professional club at the heart of Morecambe.

"We place on record our thanks to our point of contact at the National League for their invaluable support during recent weeks, and to the minority shareholders who have worked tirelessly alongside us to secure the club's immediate future. We also wish to thank the FSA, Fair Game, Lizzi Collinge, DCMS (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport) and MPs for their support, along with the many media outlets who have given our plight much-needed national and international coverage.

"Finally, thank you to the wider football community. With record-breaking membership numbers and unprecedented donations, we have felt the love from every corner of the world. We have been reassured that arrangements are being made for staff to be paid and for creditors to be settled, which includes HMRC. Tomorrow, the rebuilding begins. 

"Most importantly, on a Saturday at 3pm we will stand together, one family and one community, to watch 11 players face 11 players.

"This isn't just football. It's Morecambe. Stronger together."

Ms Collinge said: "I'm so pleased to see this awful saga come to an end. Now we can look forward to focusing on the game.

"I want to say a special thank you to everyone who has campaigned so hard for this outcome. The Shrimps Trust in particular has played a central role. Their all-volunteer team has been working night and day and have gone above and beyond.

"There are so many other people to thank as well - the staff for their loyalty when they were treated appallingly, the former directors who stuck around through thick and thin, and the Panjab Warriors UK for their persistence. I also appreciate the support of (Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport) Lisa Nandy and the PM Keir Starmer who have both taken an interest in the Shrimps and recognised the importance of the club to Morecambe and the importance of the whole football pyramid. 

"I look forward to seeing you all on the terraces!"

Panjab Warriors were yet to comment as we went to press.

The news came just hours after the National League said they had approved the takeover.

"The National League can confirm its acceptance of the takeover of Morecambe Football Club," said a statement on Sunday afternoon.

"The National League can confirm that following a meeting of their Club Compliance and Licensing committee earlier today, the takeover of the club by the consortium known as Panjab Warriors Ltd has been approved.

"The suspension of Morecambe FC will therefore be immediately lifted on receipt of the signed sale and purchase agreement.

"However, the transfer embargo will remain until all football creditors, including players, staff and HMRC have been paid and payments due under the sale and purchase agreement have been satisfied.

"It is the intention for Morecambe's first National League game to be on Saturday 23 August at home against Altrincham FC.

"The National League would like to welcome the new owners and to thank everybody involved in helping to secure the future of the club and reaching this point."

Panjab Warriors were initially given approval by the English Football League (EFL) to complete the takeover, in June.

Below, former club co-chairmen Rod Taylor and Graham Howse, with Gurpreet Singh, head of communications at Panjab Warriors, pictured in June.

However, the sale took a further two months to complete, amid a series of tense back-and-forth public statements between the parties involved, threats of legal action against the owners, and mounting scrutiny from the public, media and politicians.

In the meantime, staff were paid only a third of their wages in June, and none of their salaries in July, and several key players have left the club.

Morecambe FC was suspended from the National League, on July 28, and unable to kick off the season as planned on August 9, amid concerns over the club's ability to meet its financial obligations for 2025/26. 

A further National League meeting was due to take place this coming Wednesday, to discuss the Shrimps' future in the competition.

The club had reached the heights of League One in 2021, only to be relegated back to League Two in 2023, then back to non-league football in 2025 after 18 years in the EFL.

Read more: Morecambe FC crisis: National League approves Panjab Warriors takeover - Beyond Radio