Morecambe Owner Sacks the Board of Directors

Morecambe owner Jason Whittingham has dismissed the club’s board of directors just 24 hours after they threatened to place the club into administration if its long-running sale was not completed.

The board had given Whittingham’s Bond Group Investments until 6pm on Tuesday to finalise a proposed sale to prospective buyers Panjab Warriors. After the deadline passed without a deal, the board said they would begin administration proceedings on Wednesday.

In response, Whittingham announced he had "started the process to dismiss the board of directors with immediate effect", stating that the move would allow Bond Group to retain control and gain more time to avoid administration.

“This will give the Bond Group the required additional time to ensure that the club has the best chance to avoid administration,” Whittingham said.

The situation marks another low point for the 105-year-old club, which was relegated from League Two this season and will compete in the National League for the first time since 2007.

Tensions escalated further after Whittingham, who took over in 2018, denied accusations of delaying the sale and insisted more information would be provided on Thursday.

The deal to sell Morecambe to Panjab Warriors was approved by the EFL earlier in June. The consortium says it has already paid £3.8 million to Bond Group and £630,000 to clear debts, in addition to loaning £1.7 million over the past 14 months to keep the club afloat.

Local MP Lizzi Collinge has urged Bond Group to stop stalling and finalise the deal, stating on Monday they should "get on with it."