Still no promised update from Morecambe owner
Morecambe’s future remains perilous with no promised update from the owner regarding a sale of the club.
Bond Group Investments had claimed Panjab Warriors’ long-awaited takeover was due for completion last Monday.
Since then, Jason Whittingham said a sale would spill over into Tuesday before, 24 hours later, claiming agreements with a new buyer would be signed on Wednesday.
Despite saying a further announcement would come on Thursday, nothing has been heard from Whittingham since.
There is no news as to whether staff have received the remainder of June’s wages, nor whether an outstanding HMRC bill has been settled.
The National League website also listed the Shrimps as being under embargo for non-compliance with the league’s financial regulations.
Panjab Warriors are considering seeking legal advice in response to Whittingham’s claim of a new buyer, while schools have seen pre-booked events at the Mazuma Mobile Stadium cancelled.
Speaking last week as MPs voted in favour of the Football Governance Bill, Morecambe and Lunesdale MP Lizzi Collinge again condemned Whittingham’s behaviour.
She said: “Until now, I have restrained myself from using the full extent of parliamentary privilege in this matter, because my focus has been on getting the sale done.
“I have held my tongue while the EFL went through its due diligence process, and I have implored Jason Whittingham directly to just get on with the sale.
“But my restraint has not produced the progress that I had hoped for, so I now feel duty bound to use parliamentary privilege to lay out what I see.
“I suspect that Jason Whittingham has built a house of cards, and it is now falling down around his ears.
“There is mention of further unspecified investors, even at this final stage, and there is a suspicion that the club is being used to leverage his personal financial situation. Morecambe FC is being held hostage, and it breaks my heart.
“Morecambe FC is the cornerstone of our community, and what is happening in Morecambe shows exactly why this Bill is needed. The likes of Jason Whittingham should never have been allowed to buy a football club.”
The National League has been approached for comment on why Morecambe are under embargo, how they can lift it and a deadline before any possible expulsion but no response has been received yet.