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

The prospective new bosses of Morecambe FC have made a final appeal to the current owner to sell his shares and allow their takeover of the crisis-hit club.

Panjab Warriors said on Tuesday that "everything is ready" from their side to buy Morecambe FC, but owners Bond Group Investments still haven't signed it over to them.

This came hours after Jason Whittingham, from Bond Group, said completing the sale would be delayed until Tuesday, after previously stating they hoped to finalise on Monday.

The Morecambe FC board of directors then resigned for the second time in a week, over the delay.

Meanwhile Shrimps staff wages for June have still not been paid in full.

On Friday, Mr Whittingham said Bond Group had "agreed final terms for the transfer of ownership and sale of Morecambe Football Club Limited, subject to contract" with Panjab Warriors Sports Ltd.

But with the sale still not done, Panjab Warriors released a statement today saying: "The time is now - complete the sale and save Morecambe FC."

They also called on "the UK Government, the local MP, the English Football League, the National League to intervene and enforce the completion of this sale" and said that unless £176,000 is paid to cover staff wages and a VAT bill, the club risks a transfer embargo and administration.

"Morecambe Football Club stands at a critical crossroads," said the statement, released on Panjab Warriors social media on Tuesday.

"The next 24 hours will define the future of this club, its people, and its legacy.

"From the Panjab Warriors side, everything is ready. Our legal team has confirmed that all documentation has been complete since last week, all conditions have been met, and funds are in place. The sale is seconds away from completion—all that is required is Jason Whittingham’s signature.

"Yet despite reaching this final moment, Morecambe FC is being held hostage. We now suspect the club is being used as leverage in unrelated personal financial matters—a move that threatens its very survival.

"Staff remain unpaid, tension is mounting, and the impact on morale within the club is growing by the hour. Critical financial deadlines are being missed. Morecambe FC is now on life support.

"As stated by the club:

"Outstanding payroll - £131,000. This has been overdue since June 28, and it is unimaginable the pain this is causing to everyone at MFC.

"VAT - £45,000. 

"The total of these obligations is £176,000, which must be paid by today at the very latest. Failure to do so may result in the club being placed under transfer embargo and at risk of administration.

"Let us be clear:

"Bond Group no longer has the means or mandate to run this football club. Morecambe has been up for sale for over 1,000 days, and only now - at the final hurdle - do we hear claims of unspecified investors (which were never disclosed to anyone until this final stage) needing to approve the sale. Our investigations do not support this narrative. It appears to be yet another tactic to stall progress and evade responsibility.

"The Panjab Warriors have been fully approved by the EFL (English Football League), and all funds - source and sufficiency - have been cleared. Over the past 14 months, we have continuously supported the club financially, providing £1.7m in working capital, in addition to the £3.8m purchase sum.

"We issue this final appeal to Jason Whittingham:

"Sign the paperwork. Release the club. Do the right thing.

"We also call upon: The UK Government, the local MP, the English Football League, the National League to intervene and enforce the completion of this sale. This is no longer a private transaction - it is a matter of public interest and the survival of a historic football club.

"To the Morecambe fans, the Shrimps Trust, and the board of directors: we thank you for your continued strength and support. Your perseverance throughout this entire process has been nothing short of inspirational.

"This is the final hour. Let’s not look back with regret.

"Panjab Warriors.

"For the future of Morecambe FC."

Below, Morecambe FC supporters protesting over the lengthy sale process in November 2024.

On Monday evening, The Shrimps Trust supporters group said: "Let's be perfectly clear, this situation is a disgrace.

"We would like to place on record our abject disappointment at the events (or lack thereof) today. Throughout the morning, the trust were repeatedly assured that matters would conclude, pending a few items of paperwork.

"The trust, the (former again) board of directors and Panjab Warriors have worked tirelessly, along with our MP and the National League, to get this matter concluded today, for the staff that continue to be underpaid, whilst stoically continuing to work at the club.

"We strongly deplore the approach taken to this matter by Bond Group, and investors. Who have repeatedly over promised, under delivered and presented unnecessary hurdles to progress today.

"Jason Whittingham's approach, behaviour and attitude towards our club, and those that haven't been paid, is appalling. Despite Jason's private assertions with the National League and others, he is the sole shareholder of Bond Group, and therefore is the only person required to make this decision, and to sign over his shareholding.

"Mr Whittingham and Bond Group have had three years to prepare for this sale, his excuses that there are still 'final items' that need to get signed off, are pathetic, and quite frankly an insult to the fan base and the unpaid staff at Morecambe FC. You've had plenty of time to action this, Jason, and you are now just jeopardising the future of OUR club.

"This isn't a game, this is people's livelihoods.

"We call on Jason Whittingham to end this chaos."

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.

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.

Mr Whittingham said on Monday: "(Owners) Bond Group Investments Ltd remains committed to the sale of its majority shareholding in Morecambe Football Club. In doing so we also remain committed to ensuring that staff are paid as soon as possible and the club avoids administration.

‘’We made significant progress over the past few days, getting legal agreements drawn up and agreed in principle, subject to signing, with various stakeholders involved in the sale.

‘’Despite the expectation to complete today, unfortunately there are some final items to get signed off and it’s likely we will need tomorrow to complete the sale.’’

In response to the deal to sell the club still not being completed, the board of directors - Rod Taylor, Graham Howse, James Wakefield, Charlie Appleyard and Mick Horton - resigned en masse for the second time in less than a week.

All five originally left the board last Wednesday, after being threatened with removal by Mr Whittingham following an ultimatum that they would force the club into administration if a deal wasn't done by Tuesday, July 1.

They all returned to the board on Friday (July 4), in an effort to help facilitate the final stages of the Panjab Warriors takeover.

Below: Mick Horton, Graham Howse, Rod Taylor, Charlie Appleyard and James Wakefield

A statement from James Wakefield on Monday said: ‘’Rod, Graham, Charlie, Mick and I have just met and agreed that we must remove ourselves as directors of Morecambe FC this evening, given that we stated publicly on Tuesday 1 July 2025 that unless a sale completed that day, administration was regrettably the only responsible option left to us.

‘’We have also agreed with the owner that we will be on standby to rejoin the club as directors tomorrow (Tuesday July 8), to facilitate the sale should it be ready to complete, subject to being invited by the owner to do so.’’

MORECAMBE FC CRISIS: TIMELINE OF EVENTS SO FAR

Friday June 27: The Morecambe FC board of directors reveal that the planned sale of the club to Panjab Warriors is on the brink of collapse, just weeks after the prospective new owners gained clearance from the English Football League (EFL) to proceed with a takeover. The board said owners Bond Group Investments were "considering reneging on the deal". Players and staff at the club were due to be paid their monthly salaries, but hadn't received the money from the owners.

Tuesday July 1: The board gives Bond Group an ultimatum, sell to Panjab Warriors or the club faces being put into administration. By this point, staff have been paid around a third of their wages.

Wednesday July 2: Jason Whittingham denies "stalling" over the deal, says he still intends to sell but that "any transfer of shares (has to be) done in a way that holds no recourse for either the club or Bond Group". He says he intends to "resolve the matter of staff salaries" and wants to "avoid administration at all costs". As such, he says he has begun the process of dismissing the board. All five board members - co-chairmen Rod Taylor and Graham Howse, and James Wakefield, Charles Appleyard and Mick Horton - are terminated as directors at Companies House, although minutes of a Shrimps Trust meeting reveals all five had resigned before this.

Thursday July 3: Lizzi Collinge, MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale (below), says in Parliament that the club is "in crisis". Both she and Lisa Nandy, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, call on Bond Group to complete the sale. In a further statement, Jason Whittingham says "work continues to complete the sale process and give Morecambe Football Club the fresh start the club and its community deserve". Sponsors Bay Camera and Communications Ltd say they will stop sponsoring the club until it is sold.

Friday July 4: Mr Whittingham says the long-awaited sale will complete on Monday July 7 and that final terms have been agreed with Panjab Warriors. The board of directors, he said, have been invited back to "support the final stages of the sale process". The five directors are then reappointed. The Shrimps Trust said they had spoken to Kuljeet Singh Momi of Panjab Warriors, who confirmed an agreement had been reached. But, said the trust: "If a deal is indeed agreed, we do not understand why it needs the weekend to complete."

Monday July 7: Mr Whittingham says the sale will not complete on Monday as extra time is needed for "final items" to be signed off and "it’s likely we will need tomorrow to complete the sale.’’ In response, the board of directors resign again. Mr Whittingham also says there has been "a campaign of abuse" against him and his family on social media and this has "put off at least two potential buyers" of the football club.

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

UPDATED: Morecambe FC takeover deal still not done as board resign for second time - Beyond Radio

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