Ex-Morecambe chair 'fearful for club's existence'

Morecambe's former co-chairman Rod Taylor says he is fearful for the existence of the club as a prolonged takeover continues.

The Shrimps had looked set to be bought by the Panjab Warriors group when the EFL approved their takeover in June.

With the deal still to go through, however, the board of directors threatened to put the club into administration and later resigned, with owner Jason Whittingham then opting to sell the club to a different party in a "last minute deal" which is still to take place.

Morecambe are scheduled to begin their 2025-26 National League campaign against Boston on 9 August but an embattled summer off the field, which has included incomplete wage payments from June's payroll to staff and the remainder of the playing and coaching staff, has overshadowed pre-season preparations.

"It's extremely serious. It's critical. We're right in the last throes of this now. You just don't know where to go next," Taylor told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"We're doing all we can as ex-officials, we can't play any part beyond that. We're right in the throes of we may not have a club this time next week.

"I think it could be as serious as that. There has to be movement rapidly.

"I'm fearful. As we stand today I am fearful for the existence of the club. I hope and pray that he [Whittingham] sees sense and gets the papers signed."

BBC Radio Lancashire have contacted Whittingham for comment.

Whittingham previously said terms had been agreed with Panjab Warriors with a deal set to be formally completed shortly after.

The club's board of directors had stepped down with the deal still to be concluded, having previously tried to put the club into administration in early July when the deal dragged on.

Despite Panjab Warriors looking set to take over Whittingham last week said an unidentified buyer had worked to pay outstanding wages as well as agreeing contracts pending the approval of a sale by the National League.

The identity of the new party is unknown, and in a statement issued by Whittingham on Thursday, he said that the club were looking to complete a deal "as quickly as possible".

"We can confirm that a takeover deal is near completion with a consortium of individuals headed by people with genuine football experience, to acquire Bond Group's interest in the club," the statement said., external

"We can also confirm that despite speculation on the buyers' identity, nobody from the consortium has yet been named publicly and recent guesses are not accurate.

"The buyers have funds available to bring payments for the club up to date and we are working to conclude the transaction as quickly as possible."

Former board member James Wakefield said he was surprised the club was still in existence and, when asked by BBC Radio Lancashire how long the Shrimps could continue operating, he theorised that they could have just "days" left.

"I'm amazed it's still alive today. We as a board decided that the only responsible course of action was to put the club into administration and that was on 1 July, 16 days ago," Wakefield said earlier on Thursday, before the latest club statement.

"It's still dragging on. It's days. It's literally days. There will be payroll again quite soon and the club's not meeting its obligations at the moment, the most important of which is staff wages.

"But I'm amazed it's still alive quite frankly."