Morecambe Administration

[Jacob7839]

Save Morecambe. Another club at risk of liquidating due to the EFL and faulty owners

[Stuntman_Mike]

Be a great opportunity for Tyson Fury to help them out.

[Fox92]

So many faulty owners and nothing seems to be done. You only have to look at what's happening at Wednesday and it seems to just be allowed to continue.

 

Sad to see clubs get in this state. I hope someone buys Morcambe.

[CosbehFox]

They did exactly the same to Worcester Rugby 

[Leicesterpool]

Could start the season with points deduction then.

[MPH]

If Wrexham is the Hollywood of football, Morcombe could become the boxing team of football.. Fury the owner and investors like Lennox Lewis , Calzaghe and a few others would be epic..

[jammie82uk]

2 hours ago, Jacob7839 said:

Save Morecambe. Another club at risk of liquidating due to the EFL and faulty owners

It’s crazy that they have a buyer who has passed the EFl “fit & proper” test and the current owner despite saying repeatedly he will sell won’t sign the agreement and also refusing to spend any more money on the club, the deal was supposed to happen on the 6th of June after the current owner dragged out the buying process for 2 & half years 

[jammie82uk]

Just a bit of background for people unaware of the situation. Statements from the last couple of days 

4 days ago:

 

Bond Group Investments Limited, despite agreeing a sale with Panjab Warriors, giving the Board assurances for more than a year that they intend to sell to Panjab Warriors, and working with Panjab Warriors to enable them to gain EFL clearance for the acquisition to proceed on 6th June 2025, now appear to be considering reneging on the deal and attempting to engage with alternative buyers, on the same day that they have failed to provide the funds required to meet the Club’s June payroll, despite understanding exactly what that requirement is.

They have also, at the last minute, informed the Board of Directors and Panjab Warriors that they are not actually in a position to transfer their shares to a buyer without consent from an unspecified third party.

1 day ago: 

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

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.

 

Last night:

 

The Board of Directors of Morecambe Football Club wish to share the following update regarding today’s statements.

Following further discussions with Jason Whittingham this afternoon and evening, it is apparent to the Board of Directors that he is, for some reason, stalling for time and attempting to drag out what is a truly horrible situation and decision for as long as possible.

We must emphasise that this is without providing the Board with any substantive or convincing reasons for us to responsibly delay triggering the administration process.

The Board of Directors have, this evening, informed Jason that administrators will be called, at the earliest opportunity, tomorrow morning.

Jason still has the chance to do the right thing, agree to sell his shares tomorrow morning, but that opportunity expires once and for all after that.

 

today:

 

 

Public Statement on behalf of Bond Group Investments & Jason Whittingham.

There is no doubt that the Club is in a precarious position and is at a crisis point. We also appreciate the stress this is causing for all connected with Morecambe FC. 
 
As majority shareholder we are making every effort to resolve any issues that have arisen and are working to protect the best interests of the Club. 
 
Bond Group Investments has started the process to dismiss the Board of Directors with immediate effect in order that we can take control over the situation giving us the required additional time to ensure that the Club has the best chance to avoid Administration.
 
We hope the The Board of Directors put the interest of the club before any personal grievances and during this delicate time of negotiation to save the club, refrain from their propensity of issuing negative statements.
 
The notion that Bond Group Investments is stalling is not true. Bond Group Investments need to ensure that any transfer of shares, in a sale, is done in a way that holds no recourse for either the Club or Bond Group. The safety of the Club’s future is paramount.
 
Our focus today is to work to find solutions to resolve the matter of staff salary and the Sale of the Club to avoid Administration at all costs.
 
The staff, players and management team at the club have all been notified as have the National League. We will be communicating with the Supporters Trust.
 
We are deeply sorry for the distress and uncertainty this is causing. Our next communication will be tomorrow morning to confirm the outcome.
 
Thank you.

[Tommy G]

2 hours ago, Stuntman_Mike said:

Be a great opportunity for Tyson Fury to help them out.

To fill the owner in?

[Jacob7839]

28 minutes ago, jammie82uk said:

It’s crazy that they have a buyer who has passed the EFl “fit & proper” test and the current owner despite saying repeatedly he will sell won’t sign the agreement and also refusing to spend any more money on the club, the deal was supposed to happen on the 6th of June after the current owner dragged out the buying process for 2 & half years 

It's just horrible the way the EFL is run. Sadly the people that runs these clubs don't understand what football means to people.

[ajthefox]

27 minutes ago, jammie82uk said:

Just a bit of background for people unaware of the situation. Statements from the last couple of days 

4 days ago:

 

Bond Group Investments Limited, despite agreeing a sale with Panjab Warriors, giving the Board assurances for more than a year that they intend to sell to Panjab Warriors, and working with Panjab Warriors to enable them to gain EFL clearance for the acquisition to proceed on 6th June 2025, now appear to be considering reneging on the deal and attempting to engage with alternative buyers, on the same day that they have failed to provide the funds required to meet the Club’s June payroll, despite understanding exactly what that requirement is.

They have also, at the last minute, informed the Board of Directors and Panjab Warriors that they are not actually in a position to transfer their shares to a buyer without consent from an unspecified third party.

1 day ago: 

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

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.

 

Last night:

 

The Board of Directors of Morecambe Football Club wish to share the following update regarding today’s statements.

Following further discussions with Jason Whittingham this afternoon and evening, it is apparent to the Board of Directors that he is, for some reason, stalling for time and attempting to drag out what is a truly horrible situation and decision for as long as possible.

We must emphasise that this is without providing the Board with any substantive or convincing reasons for us to responsibly delay triggering the administration process.

The Board of Directors have, this evening, informed Jason that administrators will be called, at the earliest opportunity, tomorrow morning.

Jason still has the chance to do the right thing, agree to sell his shares tomorrow morning, but that opportunity expires once and for all after that.

 

today:

 

 

Public Statement on behalf of Bond Group Investments & Jason Whittingham.

There is no doubt that the Club is in a precarious position and is at a crisis point. We also appreciate the stress this is causing for all connected with Morecambe FC. 
 
As majority shareholder we are making every effort to resolve any issues that have arisen and are working to protect the best interests of the Club. 
 
Bond Group Investments has started the process to dismiss the Board of Directors with immediate effect in order that we can take control over the situation giving us the required additional time to ensure that the Club has the best chance to avoid Administration.
 
We hope the The Board of Directors put the interest of the club before any personal grievances and during this delicate time of negotiation to save the club, refrain from their propensity of issuing negative statements.
 
The notion that Bond Group Investments is stalling is not true. Bond Group Investments need to ensure that any transfer of shares, in a sale, is done in a way that holds no recourse for either the Club or Bond Group. The safety of the Club’s future is paramount.
 
Our focus today is to work to find solutions to resolve the matter of staff salary and the Sale of the Club to avoid Administration at all costs.
 
The staff, players and management team at the club have all been notified as have the National League. We will be communicating with the Supporters Trust.
 
We are deeply sorry for the distress and uncertainty this is causing. Our next communication will be tomorrow morning to confirm the outcome.
 
Thank you.

What a shitshow.

[jammie82uk]

 

[Brainy]

8 hours ago, Leicesterpool said:

Could start the season with points deduction then.

Nah it's us that's getting 12 docked

[Super_horns]

The owner was at Worcester Warriors when they went bust too .

 

Hopefully Morecambe can get out of this mess .

[jammie82uk]

A new statement just posted from the current owner 

 

Just to point out that the agreed sale & takeover date to Panjab Warriors was the 6th of June 2025  

 

 

Bond Group remains fully committed to completing a sale of the Club at the earliest possible opportunity. All actions being taken are an effort to protect the club while its sale is completed to avoid the need for administration.

 

Work is continuing and we still have reasonable prospects on the sale completing.

Working Capital, to pay staff and suppliers, remains on top of our agenda to ensure we maintain operations whilst we conclude a sale. We do ask Creditors to continue the incredible forbearance they have shown to date to the club.

We are doing everything possible to resolve the situation and ask fans, sponsors and the community to continue show as much support as they can for the Club and staff during this incredibly difficult period.

Any funds at the Club or coming into the club are for the Club and no one else.
 
Work continues to complete the sale process and give Morecambe FC the fresh start the club and it’s community deserve.
 
The National League have been consulted and updated on the sale process and, as they require more information and engagement with the Buyer, we would expect them to be in dialogue with them imminently regarding next season.

Bond Group has not been a part of the Board since the end of 2022 and, due to us having to source external funding, we made it clear that any budget reliant on Bond Group would need to be minimal unless others funds were sourced. A significant amount of that funding was from Panjab and also this season's budgets were in line with confirmation of their continued support. 

There are other buyers interested in the acquisition of the club however as it stands Panjab are the most advanced and so our focus remains on completion with them on the agreed deal. In an effort to achieve that we have organised a meeting for this evening and will update on that tomorrow.
 
We are working to avoid Administration, get staff paid and continue into next season.

[jammie82uk]

There is now a new agreed sale date 

 

Public Statement on Behalf of Jason Whittingham, Bond Group. 
 

Bond Group Investments LTD and Panjab Warriors Sports LTD have today agreed final terms for the transfer of ownership and sale of Morecambe Football Club Limited, subject to contract, and intend to complete the sale of Morecambe Football Club Limited on Monday 7th July 2025.

Bond Group have invited former Morecambe FC Directors back to the Board of Directors to support the final stages of the sale process. At time of publication, Bond Group is awaiting confirmation of the Directors.

Panjab Warriors will now engage with the National League to deal with closing steps of the sale process, in particular to convey their plans for the 25/26 season and provide evidence that the club will be in a stable financial position moving forward.

Final documentation is being prepared for the completion, which will to take place on Monday 7th July 2025.

A further update from Bond Group will follow on Monday 7th July 2025.

Statement from the Board of Directors
 

The Board of Directors have unanimously agreed to rejoin Morecambe FC and facilitate the sale of Bond Group's shares to Panjab Warriors, which is intended to complete on Monday.

All we can promise is that we will do everything in our powers to make it happen, get wages paid, and begin at last to look forwards.

[jammie82uk]

The saga still continues….

 

Bond Group are pleased to announce that agreements will be signed this evening in relation to the sale of Morecambe FC.

 

A last-minute bid came through from a UK Buyer after learning about the club’s situation. That buyer has worked over the last 24 hours to turn around a payment to his solicitors for wages to be paid and agreed contracts pending approval of the sale by the National League. 

He has already started preparing documentation for National League to give their approval for the sale and confirmed his financial support for the club this coming season, provided his takeover is approved.

This buyer will make their own statement shortly to introduce themselves and set out their plans for the club over the coming seasons.

Further announcements to follow tomorrow.

Jason Whittingham,
Bond Group Investments LTD

[jammie82uk]

Just to update this topic as this is still ongoing despite the owner claiming to be signing sales agreement on more then one occasion, statement saying sale will complete on the 18th of July then complete silence until yesterday 27th July, today the National League has suspended the club from its cup competitions and league due to non-compliance by the current owner despite being warned this would happen last week 

 

18th July 

An announcement had been planned for this afternoon, but due to false speculation about the buyer’s identity we have received consent to disclose the buyer’s identity. 

The consortium buying Bond Group’s interest in the club, subject to National League approval, is led by Mr Jonny Cato with an impressive group being built around him to develop the club over the coming seasons.

Neither Jonny or his team have any connection to Jason or Bond Group of any kind and as before, nobody from the consortium has yet been named publicly. The current false speculation and guesses about the buyer’s identify are not accurate.

Sales agreements will be completed today (Friday 18 July 2025) and will include a generous payment from the buyer to pay staff and players while the National League approval process is completed. We are grateful for this gesture of goodwill when the club and its stakeholders needed it most.

This sale has progressed at a rapid pace and, once again, we are thankful to the buyer and his legal team for expediting the process to ensure the club’s status in the league was preserved.

The buyers will engage directly with the National League and the fans to introduce themselves and share their exciting plans for the club.

Further announcement to follow today.

Jason Whittingham,
Bond Group Investments LTD

 

27th July

 

Bond Group Investments has continued to work with the Consortium led by Jonny Cato in their efforts to acquire the majority shareholding in Morecambe Football Club.

Whilst talks are ongoing, it is clear that continual negative press statements impacting on the club, have given them cause for concern and pause.

Alongside this, Bond Group had agreed to an offer, made by a Sikh representative of, and on behalf of, the Panjab Warriors, and are ready to sell on that basis.

Despite numerous attempts over the past week to contact Panjab Warriors regarding their offer, and our willingness to complete, we have not heard from them.

We now urge the Panjab Warriors to make contact in an effort to complete on the sale.

Jason Whittingham,
Bond Group Investments LTD

 

28th July

 

The National League’s Compliance and Licensing Committee reconvened this afternoon to debate the on-going concerns surrounding Morecambe Football Club and its compliance with National League rules.

Discussions regarding the Club's ability to meet its financial obligations for the 2025/2026 season have again taken place.

 

It was decided further sanctions must be imposed, with the Club’s membership to be suspended with immediate effect.

The Club will also remain under embargo ahead of the new season. 

Morecambe Football Club will also be removed from the National League Cup for the forthcoming season.

The Committee will meet again on Wednesday August 20 to determine if outstanding items have been satisfied, and to decide the Club’s ability to retain Membership in the Competition.

[DJ Barry Hammond]

Hasn’t there been a strong suggestion amongst the Morecambe fans that this “Jonny Cato” - the supposed buyer that has just appeared from nowhere - doesn’t exist and it’s just more game playing by Whittingham.

Edited 28 July 2025 by DJ Barry Hammond

[jammie82uk]

15 hours ago, DJ Barry Hammond said:

Hasn’t there been a strong suggestion amongst the Morecambe fans that this “Jonny Cato” - the supposed buyer that has just appeared from nowhere - doesn’t exist and it’s just more game playing by Whittingham.

Apparently nobody with the name Jonny Cato appears on companies house, fans are very suspicious of him and rightly so in my opinion, it has been suggested that this “rival bid” was to extort more money out of Panjab Warriors 

 

this is Panjab Warriors last & latest comment on the situation, over the previous 14 months Panjab Warriors invested £1.7 million into the club, there is now 3 weeks remaining if the club is not sold in that period or Jason Whittingham suddenly becomes interested and pays all the debts that are outstanding which include 2 months of staff wages and £45,000 to HMRC then the club after 105 years will seize to exist due to him 

 

 

[Tommy Fresh]

 

[DJ Barry Hammond]

Can I ask @jammie82uk given you seem to be quite knowledgeable on this subject…

 

Are there any concerns with Panjab Warriors - the primary party being discussed behind purchasing the club?

 

I’m sure I read somewhere that the local MP has co-backed their bid; but I get the feeling the situation could end up as going from one set of chancers to another.

 

I also understand that Morcombe own their stadium and training complex… I assume that the land it sits on would be quite valuable if, say, the club didn’t exist anymore and it ended up being turned into houses.

 

Is that ultimately what this about? 

[jammie82uk]

1 hour ago, DJ Barry Hammond said:

Are there any concerns with Panjab Warriors - the primary party being discussed behind purchasing the club?

 

I’m sure I read somewhere that the local MP has co-backed their bid; but I get the feeling the situation could end up as going from one set of chancers to another.

No alarming concerns with Panjab Warriors, they haven’t owned a football club before but the owners are part of an alternative international football body called CONIFA — the Confederation of Independent Football Associations. They are the people that run the Panjab FA, they have experience in running international tournaments so do have plenty of experience in a football environment 

 

they have proven themselves as viable owners by showing they have funds available to the EFL who approved the takeover, so far they have apparently Paid approximately £3.8 million to Bond Group, Settled £630,000 in legacy loans & Provided £1.7 million interest‑free loan to support the club’s working capital needs until stopping payments two months ago when Jason Whittingham failed to sign over the club on the agreed day 

 

1 hour ago, DJ Barry Hammond said:

I also understand that Morcombe own their stadium and training complex

Morecambe does own the stadium but don’t own the training complex , the training complex is a partnership usage with Lancaster & Morecambe College who own the location 

 

1 hour ago, DJ Barry Hammond said:

I assume that the land it sits on would be quite valuable if, say, the club didn’t exist anymore and it ended up being turned into houses.

Yes based on where the stadium is, it could be quite valuable if turned into a housing complex 

 

1 hour ago, DJ Barry Hammond said:

Is that ultimately what this about? 

Unfortunately nobody but Jason Whittingham seems to know what the ultimate objective is although I think it’s clear to say he is very money motivated, I personally hope & expect a sale to happen in the next few weeks as there is no guarantee that the local council will play along in transferring any potential planning permission applied for to an housing project also that is a very long process that will cost money

[DJ Barry Hammond]

So how have Panjab Warriors managed to put so much money into the club without;

 

a.) securing an official stake/equity in the club?

b.) getting a seat(s) on the board? 
 

That seems bizarre given the suggested sums involved.

[jammie82uk]

23 minutes ago, DJ Barry Hammond said:

So how have Panjab Warriors managed to put so much money into the club without;

 

a.) securing an official stake/equity in the club?

b.) getting a seat(s) on the board? 

Good question, I don’t know the answer to that I can only assume that they thought because the sale had been agreed in principle and the EFL has sanctioned the takeover that they didn’t need to do any of that as they wasn’t expecting the current owner to go back on his word 

 

edited to add that for the EFL to sanction the takeover they have to see a signed sale & purchase agreement, even if this is signed by both parties it’s not effective until the transfer of shares has occurred which Bond Group have stalled on doing 

Edited 29 July 2025 by jammie82uk