Fans react as the National League announce they intend to ‘discuss Morecambe sanctions’

Fans react as the National League announce they intend to ‘discuss Morecambe sanctions’ as the takeover ownership saga goes on.

The National League has raised “serious concerns” about Morecambe’s compliance with its rules, just two weeks before the new campaign begins.

The club, who were relegated from League Two last season, faces ongoing turmoil with no completed takeover despite two accepted bids—one from Panjab Warriors, approved by the EFL but stalled, and another from a consortium led by Jonny Cato, whose status remains unclear.

Owner Jason Whittingham, who put the club up for sale in September 2022, met with the league to discuss financial obligations for the 2025-26 season, with terms to be met by Monday.

The club’s board resigned after a chaotic summer, including threats of administration and a brief sacking and reinstatement. A National League compliance meeting is scheduled for Monday.

ℹ️ National League Statement: Morecambe FC

— Enterprise National League (@NL_Enterprise) July 25, 2025

STATEMENT:

The National League continues to have serious concerns surrounding Morecambe Football Club and its compliance with National League rules.

The National League met with Jason Whittingham earlier this week where discussions regarding the Club’s ability to meet its financial obligations for the 2025/2026 season took place.

The National League’s Club Compliance and Licensing Committee wrote to Mr Whittingham on Thursday 24 July 2025 to outline terms that must be met by 12 noon on Monday 28 July 2025.

The National League’s Club Compliance and Licensing Committee will reconvene on the afternoon of Monday 28 July 2025 to discuss the matter again and discuss possible further sanctions.

Update given on Morecambe’s takeover saga, Fylde friendly, players’ stance – 23rd July 2025

Fans react as the National League announce they intend to ‘discuss Morecambe sanctions’…

@MorecambeFCFeed: Kick us out or let us go ahead. This does no one any good.

@Simontimofish: Non league as ever kicking the can down the road again they should of told Whittington to sell the club by noon on Monday if its not sold we kicking morecambe out the league

@JakeEnglish_:
“Further sanctions” = ????
Why have you only spoken with him for the first time this week?

@hund85: No million pound bond request no points deduction?? This is exactly why the people that run this league are a joke!! No consistency what so ever!!! I do not want any club to go through what we (southend) went through and morecombe are going currently, but consistency is needed!!

@harryy6666: Punish Whittingham. Not the fans, staff or players. They have done nothing wrong and are the victims here.

@sufcberry: Will you be deducting then 10 points and demanding £1M from a hard up club to compete or was that rule just made up for us? #FTNL

@saintsman2320: Honestly this is probably one of the best things the national league did to us. Made people move. And look what happened to us. DO WHAT EVER YOU CAN TO KEEP YOUR CLUB ALIVE. From a Southend fan 💙💙💙💙

@Raycrud: They asked Southend for a £1m bond when they were in dire straits. However, any pressure on Whittingham is surely welcome.

@charlie28975873: Bit late to start putting pressure on him with just two weeks before the season starts

@heyit5sam: Didn’t think to strike him off as a director then? Let’s do nothing until it’s too late approach. Simply awful

@Caprani14: You do realise he is the problem right?

@keithelliott94: What a pathetic response/ statement . So more than likely you’ll implement some more sanctions and the saga will just continue where he keeps pulling potential buyers names out of thin air 🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️

@tracytrumpet: Are the sanctions on #JasonWhittingham or on the club? I thought the #NL were there to advocate & protect the club. Especially after new legislation has been passed in Parliament

@KatieLouiseWAFC: What a miserable state of affairs, I still can’t comprehend why we still have owners that behave like this.

@JoshBUFC: You couldn’t wait to kick us out in 2007 and then again from NLN the year after when we actually paid up. Let them sort themselves out in a lower league, like you told us.

@pooliemadone84: So you’ve done nothing! You’ve and a meeting about whether they can meet the payment, how the fuck would you know? I’m a @Official_HUFC fan hoping we are not in the position of your irresponsible brand! Man up get this cunt out sharpish

@joephelan44: Why is everybody giving him so many chances , deadlines after deadlines I don’t understand

@bostonutdstats: Frustratingly closer to no opening day fixture for Boston; but more importantly a fanbase closer to having no team to watch this season. Urgent action is needed to save a proud club, and keep the league at 24. The independent regulator cannot get up and running quick enough.

@Simon_wwfc: 😂😂 The spineless National League release a spineless statement that serves no purpose or assistance against the utter selfish scumbag in control of Morecambe who is happy to let the club die to get as much £££ out of it that he can. Fix up!

@MattySarrie: Jason Whittingham took Worcester Warriors under in 2022 and is now doing the same to Morecambe. Ridiculous that no institution has the ability to just revoke his ability to own/direct a sports club

@Staners6: Always nice to know how the meeting went and what was discuss 👀🙈 So whatever was spoken about the deadline is Monday at Noon 👊 Let’s hope a decision is made then and you never know Jason may have sold the club 🙏 The main thing is @MorecambeFC know what the future holds Monday

@stormcloud25: He doesn’t give a crap. It’s always the footballing side of the club that gets punished for the misdemeanors of the owner. He won’t care if we get kicked out of the league. If he cared one jot about the club, he’d have sold it a month ago.

@CcfcEs: This saga is not good for anyone involved, especially the fans. In essence the League’s representatives will meet with Jason Whittingham on the 28th July to discuss terms and further sanctions. Really worrying period for Morecambe fans #Morecombe #Shrimps #UTS #mfc

@JoshBUFC: Tell you what if half of these crisis clubs would’ve been wound up and not been given deadline after deadline until rheu found a mystery buyer, there’d be enough below us to wind up in a higher league by now

@chrise27007: Pathetic statement. Basically they just want to back heel the whole issue rather than assist with keeping one of its members alive. Bunch of shithouses.

@HappyWanderer55: Got to feel for the poor bastards over that way. Blokes a disease. Hope it gets sorted but personally don’t think he’s going to make any effort before Monday

If the soft cushions don’t work, I suppose you could try the comfy chair. That will get him out.
Any chance of @FA getting involved? It is, after all, meant to regulate non-league and got very upset when politicians pointed out that it wasn’t doing a great job of it. Carpe diem! https://t.co/wtiiop3uaW

— Matt Slater (@mjshrimper) July 25, 2025