Morecambe may face further National League sanctions
The National League has given Morecambe’s owner until 12pm on Monday to meet certain unnamed criteria – or risk the possibility of further sanctions.
The league, which has already placed the club under embargo, published a statement on Friday evening with the new season two weeks away and a traumatic summer taking place at the Mazuma Mobile Stadium.
Its statement said: “The National League continues to have serious concerns surrounding Morecambe Football Club and its compliance with National League rules.
“The National League met with Jason Whittingham earlier this week where discussions regarding the Club’s ability to meet its financial obligations for the 2025/2026 season took place.
“The National League’s Club Compliance and Licensing Committee wrote to Mr Whittingham on Thursday 24 July 2025 to outline terms that must be met by 12 noon on Monday 28 July 2025.
“The National League’s Club Compliance and Licensing Committee will reconvene on the afternoon of Monday 28 July 2025 to discuss the matter again and discuss possible further sanctions.”
Instead of Morecambe focusing on any bid to return to the EFL at the first attempt, matters off the field have dominated the last month in particular.
Having been put up for sale by Bond Group Investments in September 2022, it looked as if the Shrimps would finally be taken over after Panjab Warriors received EFL clearance in early June.
Since then, Bond Group’s Jason Whittingham has issued a number of statements which claimed a sale was close – both to Panjab Warriors and then another party – only for nothing to materialise.
The board of directors resigned, returned to help facilitate a sale and then resigned again, staff and players are still awaiting two-thirds of June’s wages, a long-time sponsor has pulled out until there is a change of ownership, school events booked at the stadium have been cancelled and Whittingham has found himself on the end of withering criticism from Morecambe and Lunesdale MP Lizzi Collinge.
Morecambe’s only home pre-season game also failed to go ahead, amid rumours the players had refused to play matches until Whittingham sold up.
Then, on Wednesday, a group of minority shareholders backed an action that could see Whittingham face High Court action if he didn’t sell the club within 48 hours.