“I’m so pleased to see this awful saga come to an end": Morecambe fans and MP respond to sale claim

Sunday night saw the Shrimps’ website publish a statement from Bond Group Investments, saying it had sold its majority shareholding in the club to Panjab Warriors after putting it up for sale in September 2022.

Though it is still to be officially confirmed by Companies House – and Panjab Warriors haven’t commented yet – the announcement came hours after the National League had given Panjab Warriors’ proposed buyout the green light.

Morecambe had previously been suspended from the league and placed under embargo, amid the ownership crisis which has blighted the close season and left fans fearing for the club’s existence.

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.

“This experience has reinforced our core aim: to protect and uphold Morecambe FC as a sustainable community asset. That commitment remains as strong today as ever.

“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.”

Collinge, the Morecambe and Lunesdale MP, has been a vocal critic of the way Bond Group had been running the club this summer, which included staff and players left waiting on wages, as well as primary school events at the Mazuma Mobile Stadium cancelled.

Having taken the club’s plight to Parliament, she wrote on Facebook: “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 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!”