Morecambe owner answers Shrimps Trust questions
Morecambe owner Jason Whittingham maintains he would sell the club ‘at a reasonable price’ if Kuljeet Singh Momi’s would-be takeover fell through.
Singh Momi’s Panjab Warriors group has been trying to get a deal across the line to acquire the club from Whittingham and Bond Group, who put it up for sale in September 2022.
The drawn-out sale process has been to the frustration of everyone involved with the Shrimps, who released a statement last week to say that, at present, the club cannot make any further transfer window signings.
Shrimps Trust fans group chair, Tarnia Elsworth, spoke to Whittingham on Friday and released a transcript of that conversation.
In it, Whittingham claimed he wanted to sell the club as soon as was practicably possible and acknowledged concerns that the EFL hadn’t approved Singh Momi’s proposed acquisition after seven months.
He said: “I am concerned but the process is ongoing. I am always in dialogue with other parties and there are some around at the moment.
“If the current bid fails for whatever reason, then I would sell at a reasonable price regardless of what that means to me personally.”
Singh Momi released a statement at the end of November about his planned purchase but, since then, it has been a case of playing a waiting game to see when – or if – any deal can be concluded.
The press conference last week, confirming the club’s latest financial issues, saw co-chairman Rod Taylor reveal that all the information requested by the EFL concerning the planned takeover had now been received.
Asked whether the proposed purchaser was confident a deal could be done, Whittingham said: “They are confident. Their intentions are for them to communicate at the appropriate time.
“I think some of their plans are very sound business propositions which have the potential to make the club sustainable.”
While the future remains up in the air, the club’s immediate position is one of concern.
Subsequent to last Thursday’s club statement, Taylor said the owner claimed to have some third party funding in place which could hopefully enable new signings to be made.
“There is still a chance the ‘embargo’ will be lifted in the window,” Whittingham said.
“That is my main focus at present and I hope to hear from the EFL soon.”