Culture secretary Lisa Nandy has called for the immediate sale of Morecambe Football Club to avoid the “heartbreaking” closure of the 105-year-old institution within days. In an open letter to owner Jason Whittingham, she expressed deep concern at the “serious and worsening situation” at the National League club.
Shareholders at the club said it would “officially shut” and face “total collapse” on Monday unless Whittingham agreed to sell up. The prospective buyers, Panjab Warriors, and minority shareholders stated the club had “£0 in the bank and no cash on site”, meaning operations cannot continue.
Nandy urged Whittingham to end the “agony” of fans and sell to a suitable owner, saying: “It is never too late to do the right thing.” The club’s future has hung in the balance since Whittingham appeared to renege on a deal with Panjab Warriors and planned to sell to a mystery third party.
Lizzi Collinge, the Labour MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale, said she was “devastated that this crisis is still dragging on” and called on Whittingham to “just sign the damn paperwork”. She noted the English Football League had approved the deal in early June, making the crisis “entirely avoidable”.
Pat Stoyles, interim chair of the Shrimps Trust supporters’ group, described the situation as “absolutely devastating”. All junior-level operations at the club ended on Friday due to a lack of insurance, ending “every kid’s dream of playing for their local club”.
The club’s collapse has added urgency to plans for a new football regulator, which Collinge said would stop other clubs “suffering in the future by preventing rogue ownership”. The Guardian has contacted the club and Whittingham for comment.
