Panjab Warriors, who are hoping to take over at Morecambe, have issued the following statement.
It comes after reports that current owners the Bond Group are stalling the takeover.
In the meantime players have not received their June pay.
'Since the English Football League granted clearance for the purchase of Morecambe FC almost a month ago, the Panjab Warriors team has been working tirelessly to progress and finalise the sale of the club.
From our perspective, the final transaction—now in the hands of our solicitors—has been ready to proceed for over a week. However, despite repeated efforts to move things forward, it has become apparent that Bond Group, through their representatives, has adopted an uncooperative stance. This is now obstructing the completion of the sale.
To date, a sum of £3,800,000 has already been paid to Bond Group, alongside an agreed sum of £630,000 to clear the outstanding loans against Morecambe FC. In addition, over the past 14 months, £1,700,000 has been loaned—interest-free—by the Panjab Warriors team to meet the club’s monthly working capital needs and ensure its ongoing survival.
We now see no option but to publicly disclose the current situation, as the continued delays have become untenable.
To be clear: the delay lies solely with Bond Group (Jason Whittingham) and Colin Goldring. It now appears they are deliberately jeopardising the very existence of the club in a last-ditch effort to alter terms that were already agreed upon and formally ratified by the EFL. This is a blatant attempt to extract additional funds from the Panjab Warriors team by using Morecambe FC’s future as leverage.
Disturbingly, further proof of this emerged today when the Bond Group informed Morecambe FC’s Board of Directors that they are unable to facilitate the club’s payroll, due today, for players and staff—displaying a shocking disregard for the livelihoods of those who serve the club day in, day out.
We firmly and publicly criticise the actions and approach of Mr Whittingham and his associates and implore Bond Group to honour the agreed terms and finalise the sale without further delay.
Morecambe FC, its supporters, staff, and players deserve better.'