Morecambe finished bottom of League Two last season Morecambe owner Jason Whittingham has sacked the club's board a day after they said they would place the club in administration if it was not sold. The beleaguered Lancashire club's boardput two statements out on Tuesdaythat gave Whittingham's Bond Group Investments until 18:00 BST to complete a protracted sale to Panjab Warriors. However, the deal was not finalised and Whittingham has now said he has "started the process to dismiss the board of directors with immediate effect in order that we can take control over the situation". He added this would give the Bond Group "the required additional time to ensure that the club has the best chance to avoid administration". The Shrimps will play in the National League next season after they were relegated from League Two. Morecambe's MP Lizzi Collinge said on Monday that Bond Group should "get on with" the deal to sell the 105-year-old club. On Tuesday the directors initially released a statement saying they would give Whittingham until 16:00 BST, before allowing an extra two hours after "new information came to light". This second deadline passed without the sale going through and in a third statement of the day, the board said that they would be contacting administrators"at the earliest opportunity",externalon Wednesday. Whittingham, who said the club was at a "crisis point" but denied claims he was stalling on the deal, said there would be further communication on Thursday. Whittingham, who oversaw the takeover of the club in 2018, previously told BBC Radio Lancashire that he"could not wait to get out"of the then League Two club in an interview in January. Since then the club, which reached League One in 2021, have been relegated from the English Football League (EFL), meaning they will play in the National League next season for the first time since 2007. The deal to sell the club to Panjab Warriors wasapproved by the EFL earlier in June. Panjab Warriors said last week 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".
Morecambe owner sacks club board 'to avoid administration'
TruthLens AI Suggested Headline:
"Morecambe Owner Dismisses Board Amid Sale Negotiations to Avoid Administration"
Bbc News
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TruthLens AI Summary
Morecambe FC, facing a critical situation after finishing at the bottom of League Two last season, has seen its owner, Jason Whittingham, take decisive action by dismissing the club's board of directors. This move comes just a day after the board indicated their intention to place the club in administration if a sale was not completed. The board had set a deadline for Whittingham's Bond Group Investments to finalize the sale to Panjab Warriors by 18:00 BST, but the deal remained unsealed. In light of this failure, Whittingham stated that he has initiated the process to remove the board immediately, aiming to regain control over the situation and provide the Bond Group with the necessary time to secure the club's future and avoid administration. The club, which has a rich history spanning over 105 years, will now compete in the National League next season, having been relegated from the English Football League (EFL).
The situation escalated with statements from Morecambe's directors that underscored the urgency of the sale. Initially, they granted Whittingham until 16:00 BST to finalize the deal, later extending the deadline by two hours after receiving new information. However, as the deadline lapsed without a resolution, the board announced their intent to contact administrators soon after. Whittingham, who has been at the helm since the club's takeover in 2018, described the current circumstances as a "crisis point" and denied any allegations of delaying the sale. The proposed sale to Panjab Warriors was previously approved by the EFL in June, with the prospective buyers reportedly having already contributed substantial funds toward the club's survival. The financial turmoil has prompted local MP Lizzi Collinge to urge the Bond Group to expedite the sale process, emphasizing the need for swift action to secure the club's future.
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