Panjab Warriors Make Immediate Impact Following Morecambe Takeover
After more than a year of negotiations to acquire the club from former owner Jason Whittingham, the new owners, Panjab Warriors, are eager to make their mark on Morecambe in their initial hours at the helm.
Upon their arrival at the club's stadium, the Warriors, who are the first Sikh owners of a professional English football club, ensured that staff wages were paid for the first time since May. They also held meetings with fans and local stakeholders to discuss their vision for the club, and announced the dismissal of highly-regarded manager Derek Adams.
BBC Sport provides an in-depth look at the first days of Panjab Warriors’ management of the football club.
Monday Morning - Plans Begin to Take Shape
The BBC spoke with staff at Morecambe, learning that the Panjab Warriors plan to travel from London to hold a series of meetings and conduct a photoshoot to formally announce their takeover. Although there are no plans for a press conference, it has been indicated that they may be open to brief media inquiries.
Monday Afternoon - Initial Reactions from Staff and Fans
After arriving at the Mazuma Mobile Stadium, the BBC engaged with fans and staff following the confirmation of the takeover. Fans collecting their season tickets expressed their excitement. However, upon entering the stadium, loose wires were seen hanging from the ceiling, as a contractor who had not been paid for previous work had removed the lighting he installed in the bar and dressing room.
Inside, staff were assessing the number of players currently at the club, with the consensus being five, along with a few young scholars. Long-serving kit man Les Dewhirst was awaiting the delivery of new kits later in the week, while the club's lone remaining groundsman was busy mowing a well-maintained pitch.
Dewhirst, former co-chairman Rod Taylor, Shrimps’ Trust fan group leader Pat Stoyles, and local MP Lizzi Collinge expressed their relief and welcomed the arrival of Panjab Warriors. However, some staff members voiced concerns about whether Saturday’s scheduled home match against Altrincham would proceed, given the lack of essential arrangements such as stewarding, insurance, kits, and a sufficient squad.
Members of Panjab Warriors began arriving separately and entered the stadium for meetings. Among them were Kuljeet Singh Momi, the majority shareholder, and Ropinder Singh, who is set to become the club’s CEO. Others arrived with boxes of belongings and documents for the office. Simultaneously, staff received notification that their June salaries had been paid, marking the first payment since May.
Monday Evening - Communications Confusion
There was internal disagreement among the Panjab Warriors regarding whether to grant interviews. At various times, the BBC was informed that questions could be asked about their plans, while at other times, it was stated that no contact would be allowed. The group moved to the pitchside for photos with club scarves and subsequently released a statement on the club's official social media accounts confirming their takeover.
Monday Night - Significant Changes Implemented
The BBC was informed that an interview was now possible. However, the group insisted on delivering a pre-written statement before fielding questions. Eventually, it was agreed that questions could follow the statement. Ropinder Singh and Gurpreet Singh, the head of communications for Panjab Warriors, addressed a variety of inquiries, emphasizing their desire for transparency with fans.
As the interview unfolded, the dismissal of manager Derek Adams was being finalized in another room. The BBC had been aware of plans to replace Adams with Ashvir Singh Johal, a 30-year-old UEFA pro license holder and youth coach, who had previously expected to be announced as manager.
Gurpreet Singh stated that the club would undergo “a lot of changes” for its “betterment,” urging fans to trust the decisions being made.
Tuesday Morning - New Manager Confirmed
Johal's appointment as manager was officially confirmed. Images and quotes from his initial unveiling and BBC interview in June were shared online. The BBC learned that Johal would not be available for interviews this week as he focused on rebuilding and preparing Morecambe’s squad.
Reactions among fans to Johal's appointment were mixed; some felt that a fresh start with a young, talented coach was sensible, while others lamented Adams' departure, believing that retaining a more experienced manager would have been wiser.
Tuesday Afternoon - All Hands on Deck
To the surprise of many staff members, it was confirmed that Saturday’s match against Altrincham would proceed. Urgent preparations were necessary to ensure a team could be fielded and that the infrastructure was in place to welcome fans back to the stadium.
Employees received their salaries for July, and all debts owed to HMRC were settled. New manager Johal arrived on site for his first day and began the task of rebuilding a squad from the remnants left by the previous ownership.
Wednesday Morning - Matchday Hype Builds
The club announced a flash sale on season tickets, offering a 20% discount to fans who purchased before Friday, while tickets for Saturday's match went on sale. The National League lifted the embargo on the club, allowing players to be signed to strengthen the squad for the upcoming season.
Kits arrived at the stadium, and Dewhirst began preparing them, needing to print up to 120 sets of names and numbers on shirts once the squad was finalized. The BBC learned that players were traveling to Morecambe to undergo medicals before signing, with Raheem Conte, a 22-year-old midfielder who previously played for Cardiff City, among the first.
Now, the real work of rebuilding begins.