‘I feel broken and numb’ says Morecambe FC kit man of 30 years as club crisis deepens
As the crisis at Morecambe FC deepens, the club’s long-term kit man has spoken of his hurt at the situation, explaining how the crisis has led to some people being forced to turn to food banks.
Speaking to the BBC, Les Dewhirst, who has been Morecambe FC’s kit man for the past 30 years, said: "Morecambe used to be fantastic in its heyday," says. "It had everything from small zoos to fairgrounds to theatres and piers. We've not got much of that now, but it's still a cracking place and football is such a big part of it.
"I met my wife at the football,” he continued. “We were second-timers and our kids have grown up coming to this ground together. Strangers stop me in the street and say 'hiya Les' and it feels good. I don't know all the names of the people who come here, but I know all the faces. We all come here for the same reason - because we care.”
The situation at Morecambe, who have been pushed to the precipice of liquidation as attempts to conclude a takeover deal by investment group Panjab Warriors have been stalled by current owner Jason Whittingham and the Bond Group, has been described as ‘shameful’ by one EFL chairman.
As a result, the current custodians of the crisis club have been issued with pleas from government officials, current players, long-serving members of the club and the wider football community to conclude a deal as quickly as possible and ensure the club’s 105-year existence continues for decades to come.
The club's players were sent home a week ago and are unable to train because of a lack of insurance cover, while the academy has now also stopped functioning. What’s more, the potential collapse of Morecambe FC will surely have much wider ramifications given that it’s one of the largest employers in the area, with the club's financial issues meaning that staff and player salaries have been delayed or not paid at all in months.
Dewhirst, who told the BBC that he was last paid in May, said: "I'm eating into my savings now. Some people aren't lucky enough to have savings - some are going to food banks because they can't afford to buy their shopping. It's been hard watching players leave. There was another one gone yesterday. I've known lots of them for years.
"I feel broken. Numbness has set in."