Prospective buyers Panjab Warriors hit out at ‘weak and unconvincing excuses’ by Morecambe owner Jason Whittingham.
On Friday, Panjab Warriors accused owner Jason Whittingham and co-owner Colin Goldring of cancelling a scheduled mediation session meant to finalise the club’s sale.
The meeting, arranged with a mutually agreed independent mediator in London, was set for Thursday but cancelled by Whittingham and Goldring on Wednesday evening.
The mediator, appointed by the owners, later withdrew from facilitating discussions due to their lack of commitment.
Panjab Warriors, who have been trying to buy the club for over a year and provided significant funding last season, urged the owners to complete the agreed sale to end the ongoing crisis.
The club, recently relegated and suspended by the National League, faces closure without a takeover, with Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy also pressing for the sale to proceed.
PRESS STATEMENT
Issued by Panjab Warriors Sports Ltd
08 August, 2025#SaveClub #morecambe #morecambefc #EFL #NationalLeague #MP #london #footballdevelopment #football #EnglishFootball #EnglishFootballLeague #Bbcnews pic.twitter.com/9JXCqIlrm6— Panjabwarriorsofficial (@Panjabwarriors) August 8, 2025
Panjab Warriors statement:
Panjab Warriors have made consistent efforts to engage constructively with both Jason Whittingham and Colin Goldring in order to conclude the long-overdue sale of Morecambe Football Club.
At the request of Jason and Colin, we agreed to a meeting facilitated by an independent mediator —someone chosen by them but mutually known and trusted by both sides. We awaited confirmation of the time and location.
On 06 August 2025 (Wednesday) morning, the nominated mediator informed us that Jason and Colin had agreed to attend the meeting in Central London on 07 August 2025 (Thursday), with the final details to be confirmed by midday. However, despite this assurance, we were informed later that evening that Jason and Colin had once again cancelled the meeting, providing weak and unconvincing excuses.
Yesterday morning, the independent mediator—appointed by Jason and Colin themselves—confirmed that he will no longer be facilitating discussions, citing a complete lack of sincerity and commitment from them.
This ongoing pattern of avoidance must end. We urge Jason and Colin to stop prolonging the suffering of everyone impacted by the current crisis at Morecambe FC. The time has come to complete the sale that has already been agreed, so the club, its staff, supporters, and community can finally move forward.
SHRIMPS TRUST STATEMENT:
Over recent weeks as coverage of our club’s crisis has grown, we have been inundated by displays of generosity from people and groups across the footballing community.
These include donations, direct offers of support and advice, kind words and wishes, press coverage, and much more.
To everyone who has offered their support in any way during this time – you have our heartfelt thanks and gratitude. Your support, in whichever way you have been able to express it, means a huge amount at this difficult time.
We have received dozens of generous monetary donations from people associated with clubs across not only the UK, but also the whole world. We hugely appreciate all of these, and thank everyone who has been able to support us in this way.
We have also received many offers of support and advice from fan groups across the country, many of whom have valuable experience and insight having faced ownership and sale crises of their own. These offers of support have also been gratefully received, and could prove hugely important should the worst happen.
These include: Cherries Trust, Dale Trust, Bolton Wanderers Supporters’ Trust, Hull City Supporters Trust, Torquay United Supporters Trust, Supporters’ Trust At Reading, Bury FC, Northampton Town Football Club Supporters Trust.
Clubs across various levels of the game have also reached out a hand to Shrimps supporters, offering free entry to games this weekend. These include Bury, Harrogate Town, Longridge Town and Garstang, as well as an offer from Kendal Town to donate 50% of gate fees from Shrimps fans attending their match to the Shrimps Trust.
We encourage any Shrimps fans in attendance at these games representing Morecambe FC to share a picture of themselves at the match, showing our gratitude for the kind gestures from these clubs.
The way in which the footballing community has come together and rallied around us has been truly special.
We are all staggered by the amazing support we have received.
Whichever way the next few weeks turn out for our club, we are comforted by the support we have received – support which we can draw upon to ensure that there remains a football club for the town of Morecambe.
As a footballing community, we truly are stronger together. Thank you.
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Twitter users gave their reaction after Panjab Warriors hit out at ‘weak and unconvincing excuses’ by Morecambe owner Jason Whittingham…
@WHUFCGeezer: Nothing about those guys is fit and proper, how did they ever pass the test
@TAIEpodcast: Wankers. They don’t give a fuck do they.
@charlietabloid: Maybe I am naive but I simply don’t understand how his conduct is even legal.
@ash_c88: Fair play to @Panjabwarriors … most people would have walked away by now … hope for the fans of the club, something gets resolved ✌🏻
@djm_eightyone: I genuinely don’t understand why the @FA can’t step in and sanction the sale to Panjab Warriors, sack off the two jokers that are driving another sports club to the wall and let the town of Morecambe have their club back! It’s a disgrace. The FA and @NL_Enterprise are a joke.
@stormcloud25: Never ends does it. If they have no intention of selling, why continually do stuff like this to raise hopes then dash them. Sick in the head both of them. Morecambe Phoenix FC here we come.
@PadgettBCFC: Much respect to @Panjabwarriors still trying to get the deal across the line. Whittingham and Goldring have repeatedly taken the piss and I can only hope that Karma catches up with them sooner than later. Keeping my fingers 🤞 for you and #Morecambe’s staff, squad & fans.
@sufc1899: Anybody in position of power fancying to step in? How’s the bloke just being allowed to kill the club then. What’s wrong with this country
@clucas1984: Why can’t/haven’t the @EFL @FA got involved to make this happen ? Surely they can to stop a 100year old going out of business when there’s a clear package to stop it
@cylertarter: It’s been said enough times how much of a joke this has become, it’s practically a skit or a parody of itself. But the fact that it is still happening, should frighten every ⚽️ fan in the country. It shows how powerless the custodians of the game are. It could be your club next
@Charlie2003Ell: So the same Colin Goldring who is disqualified as a company director (and who has denied any involvement with Bond Group Investments when questioned) is involved in the deal? Who’d have thought eh
@bjustwafc: How’s this allowed. A buyer is there to complete the sale but he can keep avoiding it and allow the club to die. The higher ups need to step in with these situations..
@PaddyStavros: Way way beyond a joke now. Toying with peoples emotions, people’s livelihoods……… This is on YOU @EFL, you and your pathetic owners test. Get the Panjab Warriors in. 👊🏻
@cylertarter: Please do not give up on this. They will get what they deserve 🙏
@MalcolmHarland: Yet more appalling scumbag behaviour from Jason Whittingham. How does he sleep at night?!
@RJProduction3: @EFL you knew they were not fit and proper after what they did to the rugby club. You and them are to blame for this and you need to get involved to save @MorecambeFC I’m a football fan of another club but you are as much to blame & #Morecambe should be under new owners
@Joe_Holdsworth2:
Someone at work today asked: “what you doing with your weekend Joe”
Replied “should be having the first Morecambe game this weekend, but have not got the effort to watch any football at all atm”
The end does feel near, but there’s one thing we can’t lose & that’s our club
