Shrimps Trust call for ownership communication in open letter to Morecambe FC chairman

The Shrimps Trust is urging the owners of Morecambe FC to significantly improve fan engagement, claiming an ongoing lack of communication with supporters was damaging the club.

The Trust has written an open letter to Morecambe chairman Kuljeet Singh Momi, in which they’ve expressed their disappointment and concerns over a number of statements and promises made by the club regarding various key issues both on and off the pitch.

In the open letter, the Trust ask a series of questions on areas they said hadn’t been properly addressed, despite they claim, assurances they would be.

‘’We are writing to you on behalf of Trust members in response to your open letter to fans on 9 December 2025, and last week's fans' forum,’’ begins the letter.

‘’Following the forum in particular, a number of concerns have been expressed, both by Trust members, and many amongst the wider Shrimps fanbase, regarding the substance behind some of the information provided.

‘’We therefore felt it would be helpful to follow up on the updates provided with some constructive questions and requests for more information to aid with quelling the concerns expressed to us.’’

Last month, former co-chairmen Rod Taylor and Graham Howse left their roles as directors with immediate effect, claiming a combination of them not being included in the club business matters as they would expect to be in their role of directors, coupled with their concerns over a number of key staff leaving the club and not being replaced, meant their positions were untenable.

Below: Rod Taylor and Graham Howse

This led to the publication of an open letter from Kuljeet Singh Momi, which acknowledge that ‘’communication from the board had not been good enough,’’ and they were ‘’acting immediately to restore stability.’’

‘’Permanent recruitment under way for key roles, with first appointments to be confirmed within the next three to four weeks,’’ said Momi in December.

‘’[There will be] a strengthened board governance structure, with clear oversight and weekly executive reviews, and a communication reset, including monthly updates and open dialogue with supporters.

"Our commitment to this club is long-term, and we continue to fund operations while we implement these changes. We are putting in structure where there was none, adding expertise where it is missing, and setting the foundations for a sustainable, ambitious future.

"We are not asking for blind trust. We are asking you to hold us to the commitments we are setting out.

"You will see us more. You will hear from us more. And you will see improvements quickly.’’

In response, the Trust ask in the letter: ‘’You said that permanent recruitment was underway for key roles, with first appointments to be confirmed within 3-4 weeks.

‘’Some 7 weeks have now passed since 9 December and no key hires have yet been announced or made, what is the status of each of the recruitment processes for these roles?

‘’You said that a strengthened board governance structure with clear oversight and weekly executive reviews had been put in place.

‘’What does this mean in practice given that there have been no additional directors appointed and no additions made to the club's senior executive team?

‘‘You said there would be a 'communication reset', including monthly updates and open dialogue with supporters.

‘’If we take the fans forum as covering both in January, when do you intend to provide the monthly updates in each month going forwards?

‘’You said that you are putting in structure where there was none and adding expertise where it is missing.

‘’For clarity, can you outline what governance or leadership deficiencies you believe existed previously, and how the current arrangements improve on that position given the numerous board and senior leadership departures?

‘’You said we will see improvements quickly.

‘’Unfortunately, there have been no visible improvements made, could you explain in detail what has been tangibly improved, on both the football and non-football/ business fronts, since 9 December?’’

Earlier this month, a Fans’ Forum was held at the Mazuma Mobile Stadium, where Ropinder Singh fielded questions from the fanbase on a range of issues, both on and off the field.

Below: Ropinder Singh at the Morecambe FC Fans' Forum

Addressing the outcome of the forum directly, the letter says: ‘’The CEO stressed that he has an open-door approach, saying that he welcomed fans directly approaching or calling him to ask questions.

‘’Whilst an open-door policy can be a good thing in principle, in isolation a communication strategy that relies on individuals approaching the CEO of the Club on a one-to-one basis isn't efficient, effective, fair or inclusive. Could you provide assurances that all important communication will be provided by channels that are accessible to the entire fanbase?

‘’A 3-5 year plan that has been mentioned previously was referenced again, but this has never been published or shared anywhere.

‘’Could at least a summary of it be shared with the fanbase ASAP? This would make a huge difference to fan engagement and buy-in for Panjab Warriors as owners.

‘’It was reported that the club has met with the council regarding the development of a future training ground, and that the land around the stadium is being considered.

‘’Who from the council has been met and what are the next steps - does the next action sit with MFC or the council, and what are the timeframes for further discussion?

‘’Given that a reasonable training facility would require at least 10-12 acres of land in a suitable layout, is the available space around the stadium sufficient and appropriate?

‘’[Another] aim was to eventually elevate Morecambe FC Women onto equal terms with the men's first team was stated.

‘’Whilst this is a laudable intention, it is probably worth clarifying what is meant by 'equal terms'. Truly equal terms would involve doubling the club's playing and coaching wage bill, increasing and de-conflicting the number of games played at the Mazuma, and doubling the use of already limited training facilities and infrastructure. Could you clarify what the intention is?

‘’The CEO stated that he had personally spoken to every member of staff, but the Trust has heard concerning reports that some staff are not comfortable giving honest feedback since the multiple managerial departures last year, and even that certain individuals feel that they can't speak up for fear of losing their jobs. Could you please comment on these concerns?

‘’It was stated that Panjab Warriors need to inject £200k every month to keep the Club afloat, which in simple terms suggests annual losses in the region of £2.4m.

‘’Given that the club's last two years of audited accounts show an annual loss of circa £1.2m, why has the club's financial performance apparently deteriorated to the point where it appears to be twice as poor in such a short period of time?

An additional question relating to an assurance given to the Trust by the club also appears in the letter, that says: ‘’At our monthly meeting on 8 December, it was requested that the club publish a full organisational structure detailing all individuals within the Panjab Warriors team who are involved in the current governance or ownership of the football club.

‘’This action was agreed by the Panjab Warriors team; however, the information has not yet been provided. Please can you confirm when this will be publicly released and commit to a clear timescale for doing so?

‘’We hope these questions are answered as constructively as they are intended to be received. A huge factor in the club's success, especially in relation to financial performance and the achievement of long-term strategic progress, is fan engagement and the willingness of the entire fanbase to believe in Panjab Warriors, be patient, and continue to support the club on and off the field.’’

Ben Cassar, Vice Chair of the Shrimps Trust, told Beyond Radio: “Paying Trust members and supporters across the wider fanbase have raised consistent, reasonable concerns.

‘’Our aim is to ensure those voices are heard and that supporters are given the clarity needed to continue backing the club with confidence.”

The Shrimps Trust was founded in 2017, to act as an official voice of the fanbase, during the period of uncertainty which ultimately resulted in the acquisition of Morecambe Football Club Limited by Bond Group Investments Limited.

Panjab Warriors finally completed a protracted takeover of the majority shareholding of the club in August 2025, appointing Momi as chairman, and Ropinder Singh as Chief Executive Officer.

Other directors include Harjit Singh and Director of Fan Engagement, former Shrimps Trust chair, Tarnia Elsworth.

On the field, the Shrimps currently sit inside the National League relegation zone, four points from safety, ahead of a home game with Solihull Moors on Saturday.