"Sign the damn paperwork" – Morecambe MP’s plea to Shrimps owner as Commons backs football Bill

The local MP has pleaded with the owner of Morecambe Football Club to sell up as the crisis at the Mazuma Mobile Stadium deepens.

Lizzi Collinge was speaking in Parliament on Tuesday as MPs voted to back the Football Governance Bill and establish an independent regulator to oversee the men's game in England's top five divisions, including the National League, the division the Shrimps are in following their relegation in May.

They voted by 415 to 98 to pass the bill at its third reading in the House of Commons, and it is now set to become law, and will grant powers to a body that is independent from government and football authorities.

Ms Collinge used the reading to highlight the ongoing crisis at Morecambe Football Club, with the protracted takeover process from current owners, Bond Group, to would-be new owners Panjab Warriors, still ongoing.

Below: Gurpreet Singh from Panjab Warriors with former co-chairmen, Rod Taylor and Graham Howse, following the news that the English Football League had cleared the group to complete the purchase on June 6:

Staff and players still await two thirds of their wages for June, which are now almost two weeks overdue.

On Tuesday, Panjab Warriors issued a ‘final appeal’ to Mr Whittingham, outlining the dire financial situation at the club, including claims that the unpaid wage bill amounts to £131,000, and a VAT payment to HMRC of £45,000 also being due.

The group have already confirmed that they will settle outstanding debts once the takeover is complete.

Read more:

Morecambe FC owners-in-waiting say club is "being held hostage" over delayed sale  

In her speech, the MP called for majority shareholder Jason Whittingham to sign the club over immediately.

Watch Lizzi Collinge MP’s speech here:

The MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale said: ‘’I had hoped to come to the House today with a spring in my step, having seen the sale of Morecambe FC go through. Instead,

‘’Morecambe FC and our town have been put through hell over the past week or so, and we still cannot see the end of it. More than 10 days ago, the EFL approved a buyer, Panjab

‘’Warriors, which is ready and willing to buy. Clearance has been granted, and over 14 months-worth of funds-a significant amount -have already been pumped into the football club by the new buyer.

‘’The current owner, Jason Whittingham- operating as the Bond Group-said he was ready to sell, but instead of getting the deal done, he has, for whatever reason, stalled. He has delayed and given excuses, and he has tried to dismiss the board. In fact, it is only through the good intentions of the local board members, and the responsibility that they feel towards Morecambe, that they returned to try to facilitate the sale. But yet again, Jason stalled, so now the board has gone again.

‘’Panjab Warriors, which has already poured a lot of money into the club, has made it clear that everything is ready from its end, but the sale has still not been completed. Most distressingly, staff and players have not been paid their full wages. I have received emails from constituents who work for the club and who are desperately worried about how they will pay their bills.

‘’Our local citizens advice bureau and food bank have had to step in, because that is what we do in Morecambe: we look after our own. Tomorrow [Wednesday], the club is due to pay £40,000 in VAT. Unless the sale goes through, there is no way the club can meet this obligation.

‘’Until now, I have restrained myself from using the full extent of parliamentary privilege in this matter, because my focus has been on getting the sale done. I have held my tongue while the EFL went through its due diligence process, and I have implored Jason Whittingham directly to just get on with the sale.

‘’But my restraint has not produced the progress that I had hoped for, so I now feel duty bound to use parliamentary privilege to lay out what I see.

‘’I suspect that Jason Whittingham has built a house of cards, and it is now falling down around his ears. There is mention of further unspecified investors, even at this final stage, and there is a suspicion that the club is being used to leverage his personal financial situation.

‘’Morecambe FC is being held hostage, and it breaks my heart. Morecambe FC is the cornerstone of our community, and what is happening in Morecambe shows exactly why this Bill is needed. The likes of Jason Whittingham should never have been allowed to buy a football club.

‘’Last week, the Secretary of State answered a question in this House about the sale, and I thank her and the Minister for Sport for all their support behind the scenes in dealing with this unfolding disaster. This Labour Government have stood by my community and, frankly, I am baffled as to why the Conservatives are opposing this Bill. I know what a football club means to a town such as Morecambe.

‘’This Bill is a crucial step to stopping other towns like Morecambe going through this heartache. I urge Members across the House to please support this Bill, and I say to Jason, ‘Come on, sign the damn paperwork!’ ‘’

Panjab Warriors were given EFL clearance to complete their buy-out of the club, in June.

Bond Group put the club up for sale in September 2022, having bought the Shrimps in 2018.

Below: Jason Whittingham, Bond Group:

Since the Shrimps were put up for sale, the club has twice been relegated and will start the upcoming new season in August, in non-league football for the first time in 18 years.

There has been growing unrest among supporters about how long the sale has been taking.

At time of publication of this article, Morecambe Football Club Ltd currently has no active directors listed at Companies House, after the previous board resigned for a second time on Monday (July 7).

A limited company in the UK cannot legally operate without at least one director. If a company finds itself with no directors, it is in breach of company law and must take steps to rectify the situation by appointing a new director.

There was no statement or comment issued by either Morecambe Football Club, Bond Group, or Mr Whittingham on Tuesday, or by the time of publication of this article. We will update this article through Wednesday (July 9) if this situation changes.

Read more about the Football Governance Bill here

Read more about the ongoing crisis at Morecambe FC at these links:

Morecambe FC takeover deal still not done as board resign for second time

Morecambe FC owner says social media ‘campaign of abuse’ has put off potential buyers of club

Morecambe FC owners say sale of club will complete on Monday

Morecambe FC crisis: Devastated Shrimps fan withdraws sponsorship until club is sold

Morecambe FC owner says "work continues to complete the sale process" 

‘Crisis point’ - Morecambe FC owner sacks board of directors as administration row rumbles on

Administration threat as Morecambe FC owner given sale ultimatum

'Where is the money?' Morecambe FC sale on brink of collapse after wages delay