Inside Morecambe's chaotic new era: Why their transfer blitz has annoyed EFL clubs and divided their squad, the bizarre rule their manager insists on, the internal fear over club finances... and what I learned on my away day with the Shrimps

This was meant to be a piece on why the saving of Morecambe Football Club is, to some, looking more like a stay of execution. 

The story of a naive new ownership, an out-of-his depth young manager some feel was chosen more on the basis of religion rather than reputation, and a disastrous season which lurches from heavy defeat to heavy defeat.

Having already collected a series of troubling anecdotes from insiders (more of those later) I made a pilgrimage to Boston, along with 45 hardy Shrimps on an autumnal Tuesday night, expecting to witness the latest pasting for Ashvir Singh Johal and his hapless National League charges, who sat bottom of the table having conceded a mind-blowing 39 goals in just 13 games.

Unsurprisingly, I found little optimism on the concourse at the back of a sparsely-populated away end. Two lifelong supporters told me they had made the 382-mile round trip from the North Lancashire coast more in hope than expectation. They were happy to share their concerns over the new regime.

‘You hear tales from inside the club and it worries you to death,’ said one. ‘We’re grateful to the Panjab Warriors for stopping us from going out of business and you don’t want to be critical, but you worry about what’s going on and what happens if we get relegated. They seem to be spending a hell of a lot of money. We’re even told that the team came down here and stayed in a hotel, which seems lavish.’

Another fan had last month travelled even further - to Truro City, ’a 20-hour round trip’ - and witnessed a soul-destroying 5-0 hammering. ‘It actually felt longer coming back from Chester after we lost 2-0 in the FA Cup last week,’ he explained. ‘They are in the league below us and it was just really depressing to think that’s where we’re at.’  

Much has been made of Singh Johal’s steadfast commitment to playing out from the back. Some believe the 30-year-old, the youngest manager in the top five divisions and British football’s first Sikh boss, refuses to switch from an ultra-modern approach. 

‘I’ve heard the players get shouted at in training if they hit it long,’ said another fan. ‘Apparently, his qualification was that he worked with the kids at Notts County but then the new owners come in, immediately sack Derek Adams and give him the job. We’ve signed loads of players and some we’ve barely seen. The worry is that they just won’t sack him, regardless of results.’

Insiders had told me that the squad at Morecambe, admittedly put together in a hurry following the late-summer takeover, is so big that there is not enough room in the home dressing room for them at the training ground, with numbers north of 30. 

Despite the season being just two months old, and Morecambe starting from scratch, there is already thought to be a ‘bomb squad’ of outcasts. Some, loaned from clubs in higher divisions, have headed back to their parent clubs for training on the day of games after being informed they have not made the squad. 

It has won Morecambe few friends, and alienating bigger clubs is not a wise course of action for those at the other end of the pyramid. Despite the woeful performance in the league, the group includes plenty who have played at much higher levels. In 2018, Ipswich Town paid a reported £700,000 for winger Gwion Edwards. Striker Joe Nuttall was one of promoted Oldham Athletic’s highest earners until his contract expired in the summer. The side which starts against Boston is packed with EFL experience.

There are also some curious tales about the manager’s methods. One source said that he does not like players to use the main door of the team bus because he is not a fan of them walking past his seat at the front, so they have to use the middle door instead. A dressing-room insider disclosed that following Saturday’s 3-0 home defeat at the hands of Southend, Singh Johal told a rather bemused squad that should they play like that every week, then they will end the season in the play-offs.

His own comments in public, while refreshingly bold, do not appear to have helped his cause. Following a 4-4 draw at Solihull Moors in September, he stated: ‘It’s only going to get better, in a few weeks’, few months’ time we will have a really exciting team not just in this league - but we will have one of the best footballing teams in the country.’ Less than three weeks later they found themselves 4-0 down at home to Gateshead after just 12 minutes.

On the business side, there have also been some seemingly odd moves and there are concerns about where the money is coming from and what the play from the new owners, who appear to be largely Middlesex-based, actually is.

In September, Morecambe dispensed with the services of their long-serving commercial manager. Currently, it is not known who is trying to tap into the goodwill factor and provide a key revenue stream for a club which you would imagine needs the cash.

But that the 105-year-old institution lives is thanks to Panjab Warriors’ intervention, and that they are even here to play a game of football is testament to the new owners.

The game starts and Boston United are immediately on the front foot. In the smart Ellenders Bar, named after former defender Paul, a home fan had told me over a pint of Windmill Bitter (the Pilgrim Pale Ale needed changing) that they play well against the good teams but poorly against the bad ones. There is little evidence of that as they exert their authority, with Morecambe struggling to get out of their own half and evade a swarm of yellow shirts.

The merry band of travellers are unmoved, although there is sniping when they attempt to play out from the back. ‘Side to side to side,’ bemoans one.

But this is football, and sometimes, often in the unlikeliest of places, football can be beautiful. Out of nowhere, with their first attack, Morecambe score. Midfielder Jack Cain, formerly of Swindon Town, drives home from 25 yards out. It is a crisp finish worthy of the Premier League. At first there is almost a stunned silence, before the 45 travelling fans react, jumping for joy on the six-stepped terrace.

The visitors visibly grow in confidence. They press and cajole and, with former Arsenal academy product Miguel Azeez pulling the strings in midfield, socks around his ankles, they dictate. On 39 minutes comes a goal of genuinely staggering quality when a series of one-touch passes creates havoc and space and Edwards slots in a rebound.

Half-time comes and goes and within 13 minutes of the restart it is a scarcely believable 4-0. Nuttall bundles home a viscous in-swinging corner at the far post and then casually slots a penalty into the bottom corner. ‘Johal in!’ jokes one wag.

Those who support lower-league clubs, who follow their local teams, who take precious time off work to finish early on a Tuesday before returning bleary-eyed the next morning after seven hours on a coach, live for moments like this.

Morecambe’s bunch are making the most of it. ‘We’re by far the greatest team, the world has ever seen,’ is the chant - and you feel they really believe what they are singing.

There is also humour. The attendance, including the number of away fans, is announced over the PA system - ’46, and we’re louder than you,’ is followed by ‘You’ve seen the Morecambe, now f*** off home’.

The home fans, who presumably (like this reporter) expected a different outcome, resort to taking the mickey out of their own team. 

‘We’ve had a shot,’ greets one wayward effort. ‘How s*** must you be? We’re winning away,’ is the response.

For those who are unaware, Morecambe play in red and black stripes and white shorts. They have a commanding centre half (on loan from Arsenal) who goes by the name of Maldini. 

It may not quite have been AC Milan, but this was a rout, delivered by some seriously good football.

One chap turns to his pal and speaks for everyone. ‘I never saw this coming,’ he says, before asking if there is any room left on the minibus for Saturday’s match at Eastleigh.

Time played out to a chorus of club anthem, the Morecambe and Wise classic Bring Me Sunshine. On a dark night in Lincolnshire, their players had done just that. They had also lifted them off the bottom.

How the rest of the season plays out remains to be seen. Boston were dreadful, but you can only beat what is in front of you. The reservations will remain and it will take more than a rare away win (the club’s first since Boxing Day 2024) to change the narrative.

For now, however, none of that matters. This fixture was meant to be Morecambe’s first of the season. It was delayed because at the time they happened to be suspended from the National League thanks to their ongoing crisis. As they headed back to the coach for the long trip home, their hardy fans will be hoping that it did turn out to be the start, after all.