The Shrimps are facing a financial crisis and potential administration due to unpaid wages and ongoing issues.

The club’s board has warned that its existence is threatened unless the unpopular owner sells to Panjab Warriors under previously agreed terms.

This follows a collapsed takeover attempt by Panjab Warriors, despite EFL approval, due to last-minute changes by Bond Group.

The situation is critical, with the local MP urging the owner to finalise the sale to secure the club’s future.

The Board of Directors of Morecambe Football Club wish to make the following statement.#UTS 🦐

— Morecambe FC (@MorecambeFC) July 1, 2025

Following multiple meetings with Bond Group throughout the weekend and yesterday, in several of which Jason Whittingham stated once again his desire and intention to sell his shares in the Club to Panjab Warriors, in line with the sale agreement reached and announced weeks ago, the Board of Directors met at 9am this morning to discuss the fact that, despite all parties apart from Bond Group doing everything possible to complete the sale yesterday, as of last night Jason Whittingham was again refusing to sell his shares in the club to Panjab Warriors.

Because Bond Group do not have the required funds to meet the club’s full payroll commitment, despite being entirely responsible for paying wages until a sale completes and aware of that responsibility and the requirement, this means that wages cannot be paid until the sale completes.

Panjab Warriors do have the funds available to pay all wages, and are ready to transfer these immediately, but they are not able to do so unless the sale completes and they are the owners.

As a result, we have had no choice but to issue an ultimatum to Jason Whittingham at 9:52am this morning, Tuesday 1st July 2025, that unless Bond Group’s shares are sold to Panjab Warriors by 4pm today, the Board of Directors will be left with no option but to begin the process of putting the Club into administration.

We have been crystal clear in spelling out what this might mean for all staff, for the Club, and for the whole community that is built around it, and we have left Jason Whittingham in no doubt as to the fact that his unwillingness to complete a transaction that he has repeatedly agreed to is the sole reason we are in this position.

As a Board of Directors we will continue to do absolutely everything that we can to apply as much pressure as possible to make the sale happen before today’s 4pm deadline. It is now down to Jason Whittingham and Bond Group to do the right thing, and not risk the destruction of people’s livelihoods, the truly wonderful football club that we love, the community that it sits at the heart of, and 105 years of proud history.

Trust Statement

The Shrimps Trust thanks the Board of Directors for their recent update and clarification regarding the club’s position.

We fully support the actions taken. We continue to urge Bond Group to proceed with the immediate sale of the club. Regardless of the outcome of today’s developments, the Shrimps Trust remains steadfast in our commitment to support the club, our members, the Board of Directors, and Panjab Warriors in any way we can.

Stronger Together.

UTS.

@JamesTWakefield: Please share this as far and wide as possible. Jason Whittingham has a simple choice to make today: do the right thing, or risk the destruction of people’s livelihoods, the truly wonderful football club that we all love, and 105 years of proud history.

They [Bond Group] need to get on with it.

“We really need to get this legislation in place. We need a proper fit and proper owners’ test so this can’t happen again.

“They’re messing the community and fans around and the fact that people haven’t been paid is absolutely outrageous.”

Tarnia Elsworth, chair of the Shrimps Trust supporters’ group, said the drawn-out takeover process is having an effect on the wider community.

“The fact of the matter is there’s a chap sat in Essex who’s got the power over our community,”

“People need him to be able to pay their mortgages, for school trips, to feed their children.

“This comes down to a governance issue that this man should not be allowed to do this to our community.”

Morecambe FC directors, who do the job as volunteers and without pay, issue ultimatum to owner Jason Whittingham to compete the sale of the club or the board will have no alternative but to put it into administration as there’s no money to pay wages #WrongUnNews

: Gut-wrenching for #MorecambeFC. Of course, I can’t tell Morecambe fans how they should feel, but KEEP GOING. I’ve been through it with #TUFC; make your voice heard + don’t lose faith 🗣️ It will all be worth it to get rid of bad owners from the club. Hope you get good news.

: The transparency is massively appreciated. Surely now the media can’t keep on ignoring what’s happening here?! Jason, for once in your life just do the right thing.

: Why does this shit continue to happen across England, it’s shameful and criminal

: 1000+ days of being up for sale. One way or another, it ends today. Jason, you have three hours to sell up and fuck off for good.

: Rivals or not. This is horrible. Shame that once again a local community club are going bust and the FA and all the money that’s in football just sit back and watch it happen. When will clubs get protection that is needed? Football is dying.

: Best wishes to you morecambe fans 😳

: Jason, every dictatorship in history ends badly for the dictator. Make the right choice

: Brilliant statement, thank you for the transparency

: hats off to the BOD, horrible situation to be in but they’re doing everything and anything they can to see movement. 👏🏻

: It seems Jason is intent on killing Morecambe. And yet the football authorities send thoughts and prayers and urge him to sell. Change the competition regulations or change UK company law for goodness sake. About time these league organisers grew a set and protected community assets. Anyone thinking the regulator is going to fix this is living in a fantasy land. It won’t. #JasonOut

: Please Jason, sell the club and run away of our lives

: love this from the board, times ticking whittingham 🐀

: As if putting Worcester Warriors into administration wasn’t enough for Jason Whittingham, he’s 3 hours away from putting Morecambe into administration and once again, the powers at be are sitting back and allowing it to happen

: Clock is ticking Jason

: How has this been allowed to happen to yet another football club, in the North West no less, is genuinely perplexing.

: Well, it’s now or never… #JasonOut

: Really feel for Morecambe. Really hope a resolution can be reached – a sale MUST be completed. This issue is deeper and wider than this though. The current regulations surrounding football club ownership are inadequate, The regulatory bodies are failing the clubs and their fans

: The board have absolutely made the correct decision here. Jason must go, today.

@CallCrookes: Wow, it’s actually happening. Fair play to the BOD, it was the only way forward with Jason. Hopefully this means survival, or it’s the Morecambe Bay Isotopes vs Millhead.