'People are genuinely frightened': Morecambe's former directors hit out at club owner

The Shrimps have been up for sale since Bond Group Investments’ announcement on September 2, 2022 – the small matter of 1,048 days ago.

They have suffered two relegations on the field in that time as managers have come and gone, but the real dramas have taken place off it.

One proposed takeover bit the dust and another bid was apparently rejected, all while Bond Group’s Jason Whittingham reportedly wanted to sell up.

Points have been deducted, fines levied and embargoes imposed before everything came to a head earlier this month.

Weeks after Panjab Warriors were given EFL clearance to proceed with a buyout, the board of directors handed Whittingham a deadline of July 2 to sell up or watch the club be put into administration.

Whittingham responded by saying he would sack the board, only for them to resign en masse and leave the club without any company directors.

Having returned to facilitate a sale after Whittingham claimed terms had been agreed for completion of a sale on July 7, they again left when no such deal went through.

Whittingham subsequently said terms had been agreed with a new buyer, a development which left Panjab Warriors seeking legal advice last week.

This has all been played out while an HMRC payment was due and staff awaited the remaining two-thirds of June’s wages; the third time in a little more than two years that salaries have been paid late.

Speaking to football journalist Martin Calladine, Rod Taylor and James Wakefield – two of the directors who resigned, returned and resigned again – shared their worries as to the club’s future.

Taylor said: “Just walking through the town on Saturday, I was stopped by five or six people.

“One guy who I’ve seen round the club for 50-odd years had tears in his eyes. People are genuinely frightened.

"People are angry, frustrated and worried. You have to understand how big a part of the community this club is.”

Fans have protested before and during matches, while Morecambe and Lunesdale MP Lizzi Collinge has also condemned Whittingham’s behaviour.

Nevertheless, the owner stubbornly maintains his grip on the club having previously seen the collapse of Worcester Warriors; another team he formerly co-owned alongside Colin Goldring.

“Why is Jason doing this?” Wakefield added.

“I can’t think of a rational reason. I cannot fathom or begin to understand why he’s operating as he is.”

Asked how long they felt the club had before the worst case scenarios come along, Wakefield said: “I’m amazed, frankly, it’s still in this position. It can’t be long. I mean, we are talking days now.”

Taylor agreed, adding: “We have only days left, literally days.”

The former directors’ fears were made public hours before Morecambe beat Hyde United 5-2 in their latest pre-season outing on Tuesday.

Billy Whaite (2), Paul Lewis (2) and Yann Songo’o were on target for the Shrimps, who have now confirmed their only home pre-season match will be played behind closed doors.

They are due to host Barrow AFC at the Mazuma Mobile Stadium next Tuesday, July 22, but no fans will be in attendance because of what a Morecambe statement described as ‘ongoing circumstances at the club.’

Morecambe’s off-field issues haven’t, however, deterred broadcaster DAZN from selecting their home match against Altrincham for coverage.

The game, on Saturday, August 23, is now due to kick off at 12.30pm.

It has also been confirmed that Morecambe will be one of the teams listed as competing in this season’s National League Cup.

Sixteen National League clubs take part, along with 16 U21 teams from Premier League 2,

There are four groups of eight, in which teams play four matches with the top two from each going into a knockout stage.

Morecambe are in Group A with the U21s from Blackburn Rovers, Burnley, Everton and Manchester United, along with Rochdale, Solihull Moors and Tamworth.