Morecambe fans' group yet to hear from bosses as fan engagement director departs

The club’s official supporters’ group posed a series of questions to the club chairman, Kuljeet Singh Momi, and Panjab Warriors on January 23.

Those questions covered topics including the lack of promised appointments to key positions, a ‘communications reset’ from club to supporters, a referenced three to five-year plan and a request for the publication of an organisational structure outlining which members of the Panjab Warriors team are involved in the ownership or governance of the football club.

The Trust’s update came in the aftermath of Tarnia Elsworth stepping down from her role as Morecambe’s director of fan engagement.

Posting a statement on X, the Trust said: “The Shrimps Trust acknowledges the resignation of Tarnia Elsworth as Director of Fan Engagement.

“We would like to place on record our sincere thanks to Tarnia for her time, professionalism, and openness in her dealings with the trust.

“She has been fantastic to work with and alongside, providing a reliable, transparent and direct communication link between the club and the trust, ensuring queries were acknowledged and responded to in a timely manner. We wish her well for the future.

“Following Tarnia's departure, we also feel it important to update members on communication with the ownership.

“Our open letter to Panjab Warriors and subsequent attempts to make contact with them were made in good faith and with the intention of establishing clear and constructive dialogue. Despite our best efforts, these have not yet received a response.

“The trust remains fully committed to open, transparent and regular communication with the ownership group.

“However, meaningful transparency requires engagement from both sides and is not something the trust can deliver unilaterally.

“A number of important questions remain unanswered. These are matters that supporters rightly care about and which influence confidence in the club's direction.

“We will continue to pursue clarity on these points in a measured and responsible manner.

"At the same time, we want to be absolutely clear that the trust is 100 per cent behind Jim Bentley and the team during this extremely important period on the pitch.

“Our shared priority is to ensure focus can turn fully to supporting the players and manager through a crucial run of fixtures.

“The trust stands ready to play its part in maintaining a positive and united environment around the club. We will continue to keep members informed as and when we are able.”

A former chair of the Trust, Elsworth was appointed to the fan engagement position in late September, a month after Panjab Warriors’ takeover.

Her role was to lead the club’s strategy for fan and business engagement, working with the ownership, the directors and team, the Shrimps Trust and wider fanbase, the Morecambe FC Community Foundation and the wider community.

Elsworth’s exit is the latest in a series of departures from Morecambe in recent months, including those of former directors Rod Taylor and Graham Howse, general manager Robert Smith and head of commercial Martin Thomas.