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Morecambe have said a takeover by Panjab Warriors has been given clearance to continue by the English Football League.

The club have been up for sale since 2022 with a protracted takeover overshadowing their previous three seasons.

The Shrimps were relegated from the EFL to the National League last term having finished bottom of League Two, amid financial issues challenging the club off the field.

"This is more than a business venture; it's a commitment to the fans, the town, and the future of Morecambe FC," said Gurpreet Singh,, external head of communications for Panjab Warriors.

"Our aim is to build upon the club's rich heritage, ensuring stability and fostering unity across all parts of the community.

"Panjab Warriors would like to extend their thanks to the club and its Board of Directors for their co-operation in obtaining EFL approval, and also to the EFL for their patience and support in getting to this stage".

Morecambe's board previously said that "positive progress" had been made towards selling the club in an update given in April after their relegation was confirmed.

They will play National League football for the first time since 2007 after a season to forget, which included having to scramble a side together last summer after a transfer embargo was lifted, while transfers were blocked mid-season until funds to see out the season were guaranteed.

Morecambe spent virtually the whole 2024-25 season in the bottom two and four successive defeats at the tail end of the campaign confirmed a second relegation in three seasons.

Shortly after their relegation, boss Derek Adams said the club still did not have a plan for the coming 2025-26 season as their ownership struggles continued.

"In the interests of transparency and until final due diligence and contracts are finalised, we are not in a position to say anything further at this stage," Gurpreet added.

"However, once we are in this position we are looking forward to meeting with supporters and media to update via the appropriate channels."

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Whittingham was previously involved when Worcester Warriors went bust, this is not going to end well




Morecambe's MP Lizzi Collinge says the owner of the town's football club "needs to get on" with selling up after its board of directors said the Shrimps' existence was under threat.

In a statement, external on Friday, the Morecambe board said owner Jason Whittingham's Bond Group appeared to be "considering reneging" on a deal to sell the club to the Panjab Warriors consortium.

It also said the Bond Group was "attempting to engage with alternative buyers", in addition to failing to provide the funds required to meet June's payroll.

The deal to sell the club to Panjab Warriors was approved by the English Football League earlier in June.

Speaking to BBC Radio Lancashire, Morecambe and Lunesdale MP Collinge said she hopes the upcoming Football Governance Bill - which is passing through Parliament after being reintroduced by the government - will avoid similar situations in future.

"They [Bond Group] need to get on with it," the Labour MP said.

"We really need to get this legislation in place. We need a proper fit and proper owners' test so this can't happen again.

"They're messing the community and fans around and the fact that people haven't been paid is absolutely outrageous."

Bond Group Investments, who took over in 2018, have been asked to comment by BBC Radio Lancashire.

Whittingham previously told BBC Radio Lancashire that he "could not wait to get out" of the then-League Two club in an interview in January, with a takeover by Panjab Warriors still to take place.

Since then the club have been relegated from the English Football League, meaning they will play in the National League next season for the first time since 2007.

In a separate statement,, external Panjab Warriors said they had already paid £3.8m to Bond Group alongside a separate payment of £630,000 to clear outstanding loans against the club.

The group claimed they had also loaned a further £1.7m to the club over the past 14 months to "ensure its ongoing survival".

Tarnia Elsworth, chair of the Shrimps Trust supporters' group, said the drawn-out takeover process is having an effect on the wider community.

"The fact of the matter is there's a chap sat in Essex who's got the power over our community," she told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"People need him to be able to pay their mortgages, for school trips, to feed their children.

"This comes down to a governance issue that this man should not be allowed to do this to our community."