Former Co-Chairman Warns Morecambe FC Could Fold Within Days Amid Takeover Chaos

Morecambe Football Club is facing a critical threat to its existence as a prolonged and chaotic takeover process drags into mid-June.

Former co-chairman Rod Taylor has voiced deep concern, warning that the club may not survive the week unless a deal is finalised. The Shrimps, who are set to begin their 2025–26 National League season against Boston United on 9 August, remain in limbo following a failed ownership handover and unpaid wages for staff and players.

In June, the Panjab Warriors consortium received EFL approval to buy the club from owner Jason Whittingham. But with the deal still incomplete weeks later, the club’s board of directors attempted to place Morecambe into administration and then resigned altogether. Whittingham instead announced a last-minute change of direction, claiming he had struck an agreement with a different buyer whose identity remains unknown.

Taylor, speaking to BBC Radio Lancashire, expressed his despair over the situation. “It’s extremely serious. It’s critical,” he said. “We may not have a club this time next week. I am fearful for the existence of the club. I hope and pray that he [Whittingham] sees sense and gets the papers signed.”

Staff and coaching personnel have reportedly only received partial wages since June, and the ongoing financial instability has clouded preparations for the upcoming season. Whittingham insists a deal is “near completion” with a consortium of individuals said to have genuine football experience. He further claimed that recent speculation about the consortium's identity is inaccurate, but reassured supporters that the group has the funds necessary to cover overdue payments.

In a statement released Thursday, Whittingham said, “We can confirm that a takeover deal is near completion... and we are working to conclude the transaction as quickly as possible.”

Former board member James Wakefield echoed Taylor’s bleak outlook. “I’m amazed it’s still alive today,” he said. “There will be payroll again quite soon and the club’s not meeting its obligations at the moment. It’s literally days [from collapse].”

As fans wait anxiously for a resolution, the future of Morecambe FC—founded in 1920—now hangs in the balance, with leadership instability and mounting financial woes threatening to erase more than a century of footballing history.