What can we do?

[thedoc]

no way would I condone or even join in a march. For me it would be a pointless gesture that would achieve sod all..... .

Isn’t it refreshing to have someone among us with such a positive attitude to life in general? Just imagine waking up in the morning and listening to the little tweeties sweetly singing; seeing the bunnies hopping through the virgin snow with their shiny little noses glowing with health and optimism as the first crocuses of the spring poke their tentative way into the world with the promise of a new dawn and untold happiness at the end of it all...

And then thinking: "Sod this for a game of soldiers!!! What's the bloody point? Where's me fags? I'm going back to bed!"

We could all at least try to save our club. We might not succeed. But we could at least make some attempt to do something.

On what basis are you saying that a properly organised march with the Board at its head; the Morecambe Choir leading the continual chanting with local politicians and media from near and far persuaded to cover it would not be better than what we are doing at this moment in time?

Oh - let me remind you in case you've forgotten - what we are doing at this moment in time is Sweet Derek Adams' Sister!!!!!! Left to people as negative as you clearly are; this won't change - will it? What use is a single banner placed in somebody's sight-line (probably several somebodies, come to think of it) which might - that's `might' - just get a fraction of a second's exposure on a TV camera at some time in the future? We need to get ITV4 down to the club and actually speak to them about our plight. Back it up with a march. Organise! How difficult is that to do?

[redrobo]

no way would I condone or even join in a march. For me it would be a pointless gesture that would achieve sod all..... .

Isn’t it refreshing to have someone among us with such a positive attitude to life in general? Just imagine waking up in the morning and listening to the little tweeties sweetly singing; seeing the bunnies hopping through the virgin snow with their shiny little noses glowing with health and optimism as the first crocuses of the spring poke their tentative way into the world with the promise of a new dawn and untold happiness at the end of it all...

And then thinking: "Sod this for a game of soldiers!!! What's the bloody point? Where's me fags? I'm going back to bed!"

We could all at least try to save our club. We might not succeed. But we could at least make some attempt to do something.

On what basis are you saying that a properly organised march with the Board at its head; the Morecambe Choir leading the continual chanting with local politicians and media from near and far persuaded to cover it would not be better than what we are doing at this moment in time?

Oh - let me remind you in case you've forgotten - what we are doing at this moment in time is Sweet Derek Adams' Sister!!!!!! Left to people as negative as you clearly are; this won't change - will it? What use is a single banner placed in somebody's sight-line (probably several somebodies, come to think of it) which might - that's `might' - just get a fraction of a second's exposure on a TV camera at some time in the future? We need to get ITV4 down to the club and actually speak to them about our plight. Back it up with a march. Organise! How difficult is that to do?

So I disagree about a march.....BUT at least I've put a suggestion(s) into the ring which is a lot more than the majority. I get you disagree with my suggestion, but is there any need to have a pop at me...

[skeletor]

When all the shenanigans started at Worcester Warriors the board said 'there is nothing to see here' nothing to do with us and totally separate.They should have set the alarm bells ringing then!

[Billy bodger]

Hi to everyone out there on Shrimpsvoices,

I hope everyone is well and will give the following their consideration, some other people on here after what happened at Reading have started to suggest this is a good idea.

I have drafted a letter that could be sent to the EFL to highlight how supporters feel about the current situation at Morecambe FC. Please feel free to take time to state if it’s on the right lines, or to suggest changes and even to criticise it, if that’s how you feel.

It is appearing on the screen as I type but until I click accept I don’t know if I have done it properly. It would not accept it as a download!! You also might find a few spelling mistakes, so please stay with it, (not my bag spelling!).

In the end I will probably send in the letter myself, but if people want to do it differently, as a group, I could add Intrested parties names to it before it is sent.

If it only bring the growing disquiet of Morecambe FCs fans to the attention of the EFL, they cannot say they didn’t know, anyway good reading:-
NAME AND ADRESS
The English Football League
EFL House
10-12 West Cliff
Preston
Lancashire
PR1 8HU

Dear Sir or Madam;
I am writing as a loyal, concerned and frustrated fan of Morecambe FC, who has a deep feeling of helplessness at the current situation surrounding all the aspects of the ownership of the Club and the failure of it’s majority shareholder to sell the overwhelmingly majority of the shares (81%), they hold in the Club.

As you will be already aware that Morecambe FC was bought by The Bond Group Investments Ltd in 2018 and as the majority shareholder they put the club up for sale in September 2022 and as of yet, the Club has not been sold and is still in the hands of its owner The Bond Investments Group.

The style of ownership (distant and aloof) and the protracted sale of the Club has brought a break down in the working relationship between the owners and the Board of Directors, who struggle to run the Club on a day to day basis.

This in time lead to the now culminated in the now well publicised, unprecedented, action of the Board of Directors putting out an open statement on Morecambe FC’s website calling on the owner for them to be engage with them within the process of selling the Club to facilitate a bringing about a swift conclusion to the sale of the Club.

All the unhealthy problems at the Club have has brought about a complete lack of faith in the ownership of the Club from the vast majority of Morecambe FC’s fans. The very worrying stringent financial constraints imposed by the owner on the Club has set the day to day running of by the Board of Directors and its executives in an almost impossible situation. The lack of the owners willingness to carry out any dialog with the Shrimps Trust or the Clubs fans only means that the important relationship between fans and owners is past degeneration. The almost unbearable protracted situation of the Clubs sale and the impossible situation for the BoD with the complete lack of willingness of the owner to work closely with the BoD’s means there is an intense negativity around the Club and deepening frustration of its fans.

As you will be more than aware through the EFL’s involvement over issues at the Club, Morecambe FC had a sanction placed on it at the near the end of the 2022-23 season which culminated in an agreement that 125% of the envisaged monthly wage bill would be held in a separate account. If there was a default within that agreement there would be a possibility that Morecambe FC could incur a point’s penalty as well as the possibility of financial fine.

The EFL has since charged Morecambe FC with one breach of that agreement alongside two breaches against the owner of the club for the withdrawal of monies from the separate account and failure to replenish the account. The hearing is scheduled for sometime early in the new year.

I must now address what happened at Reading FC on Saturday 13th of January and the build up to, the fall out and the repercussions of the fans invasion of the pitch and the ultimate abandonment of the game. I do not condone their action I do however think “who saw that coming”.

The cases of Reading FC and Morecambe are not exactly the same, however there are distinct similarities but know is the time for dialogue between all parties, the EFL, the owner, the Board of Directors, The Shrimps Trust and more importantly the wider Morecambe FC fan base and community.

Indeed I believe one of the contributory factors that culminated in the actions of the fans was that the engagement that had occurred between the EFL and the Reading fans action group was dragging on and on and ultimately it was felt by the fans that it was coming to nothing, other than further financial fines and further points deductions on the Club, that may well lead to another relegation. I an in no further doubt that what the fans saw as further protracted ineffective action by the governing body of the League to deal with the owner to a degree where they took notice was the overwhelming factor that lead to their unfortunate action, while the situation only continued to get progressively worse.

It is regrettable that the fans of Reading FC felt the had nowhere to turn and they ultimately took the most dangerous of actions by invading the pitch that resulted in the game being abandoned. Fans up and down the country at Clubs, these days, feel completely disenfranchised. Except for taking their hard earned money they feel they have no other use. Hopefully with the national and large media exposure into the problems at Reading FC there will be a forward movement in their situation being addressed to the satisfaction of everyone involved at the a club and a lesson for the EFL to learn of the gulf that is there but not talked about or confronted.

Here at Morecambe FC fans are at a loss of what they can do to help the Clubs situation. That the still come and support in the numbers (gates are now over twice as large as they where the last time we were in League Two), is a testament to their support for the team and loyalty to the Club. There are rumblings of disquiet with the situation and I believe it would be folly especially with what happened at Reading things are not left to dangerously drift on and on.

I would hope with what happened at Reading FC and with how other clubs up and down the country are finding themselves in similar situations to Readings. Or indeed how other Clubs have ended up because of situations with the problems at Clubs with their owners, that the EFL is now more than willing towards being engaged with the Owner, the BoD’s, The Shrimps Trust and the Clubs fans with a view to look into how the current situation. Maybe then everyone can move forward. Surely it is better that all parties to engage with one another and the EFL can take a lead and instigate the desperately need dialogue that may lead to a satisfactory conclusion for everyone involved.

Yours sincerely,

[fulwoodshrimp]

I agree with your sentiments Billy. Count me in to sign but can we just hold on for a couple of days to see if the trust agree to request a meeting with the EFL. The wider our voices of complaint the better.

[Billy bodger]

I agree with your sentiments Billy. Count me in to sign but can we just hold on for a couple of days to see if the trust agree to request a meeting with the EFL. The wider our voices of complaint the better.

Yeh I think you’re right maybe holding off if the trust does actually meeting the LFA or the trust sending something similar would also be welcome. The n more the merrier.

I am glad it actually got on the site page, hopefully a lot of useful ideas can be added. Also I have found at least 6 spelling mistakes after quickly reading it through again.

Thanks for you imput.

[Westgate Wanderer]

Do we know when the trust are meeting to discuss the situation?

[fulwoodshrimp]

I contacted the trust and asked if they would organise a working group to go and see the EFL. I also suggested we try and make contact with the Reading group. I would hope we hear something soon. Indeed if members of the trust read this please act on it. Time is running out.

[thedoc]

So I disagree about a march.....BUT at least I've put a suggestion(s) into the ring which is a lot more than the majority. I get you disagree with my suggestion, but is there any need to have a pop at me...

You've missed the point Neil. I'm not having (much) of a pop of you. I've asked you a very simple question which you have not answered. You've said that a march would `achieve sod all' or however you phrased it. My question was: Why?

What reason or reasons do you have for claiming this - other than apparently bottomless passimism?

[Old Man Kensey]

I kind of agree with redrobo on this one.

A march round Morecambe will not raise much interest outside of the local press, I don't expect our useless MP would get involved.

I can see why the Reading fans have done what they have, as the national media are there to witness it. Which gets instant reaction on a National scale.

I'm not saying that I agree with it but it is certainly more effective than a few people walking round the streets with a banner.

[Wild Bill]

I think we need start with some banners in the home end and the Trust speaking to the media raise the profile of our situation.

Doing nothing bar a few chants is not going to improve the situation but I don't think we should currently be considering the tactics of Reading fans.

Has the Trust reached out to the Reading supporters group or the EFL?

[Seasider9601]

Silence there as well currently.

[marky No.1]

https://www.morecambefc.com/news/2024/j ... iF5SNg7wR4

[Old Man Kensey]

https://www.morecambefc.com/news/2024/january/protecting-our-beautiful-game-at-the-mazuma-mobile-stadium?fbclid=IwAR2k0oBxXK6pFvw55e_Q0SnZ8FgY7zoEm2I5wcW08n7oRlU-TiF5SNg7wR4

Yep maybe throwing tennis ball isn't the answer for us, unless all hope has gone and a fine or point deduction becomes the least of our worries.

The club needs to pay a fine like they need a hole in their head.

[redrobo]

I think we need start with some banners in the home end and the Trust speaking to the media raise the profile of our situation.

Doing nothing bar a few chants is not going to improve the situation but I don't think we should currently be considering the tactics of Reading fans.

Has the Trust reached out to the Reading supporters group or the EFL?

Banners would be more effective if placed on the wall in front of the Directors and Sponsors boxes 'cause they would be in line with the cameras and attract nationwide attention via iFollow matches.

To answer the doc's question.....I accept that the above suggestion is not favoured by quite a few BUT a protest match in the town would only attract the regional media at best when it is nationwide attention (if only for a couple of minutes on highlight games) would in my opinion be more effective.

By all means have a march but in my opinion its value would be negligible in attracting a wider audience than regional.

[Billy bodger]

To all those who moan about the inaction of Morecambe FC fans, it’s not about doing anything it’s about doing the right thing.

Morecambe FC have just announced that they have just been fined because someone threw an item on the pitch at the Harrogate match. The person who did it is unidentified and will not be prosecuted or banned from the stadium.

Yet people are advocating throwing tennis balls and/or bananas on the pitch!!

Just to clear that up so people might start to understand. The EFL will punish the club whether or not the culprit is caught, they will fine the Club again. They will not say, ‘oh your in a mess like Reading, that’s alright then, we will let you off”

JW will not be bothered one little bit about that style of protest by fans.

The one thing I see that Reading FC fans group seemed to be doing was they where all pulling in the same direction, because they where organised.

The fans group went through a process that we have not even started to go through as fans of Morecambe FC are only just thinking about starting. It took the Reading Fans Group some time before they went diene the road of doing a pitch invasion.

In the end the pitch invasion was directed at the EFL as much as at the owner, because the fan group had been in dialogue and had held meetings with the EFL and therefore believed that they had to take the drastic actions they did as the EFL was treating them as peacemeal to nowhere.

As everyone will agree, rightly or wrongly the action be the Reading Fans undoubtedly highlighted what was happening at Reading FC but even more importantly they embarrassed the EFL.

Hopefully once contact with the EFL is made the actions by Reading FC fans mean the EFL will take notice of what we are saying.

What is happening at Morecambe, we cannot even get a consensus of opinion, people want to march, other want to throw things on the pitch and some people believe a resolution to Morecambe’s problems can be achieve by having dialogue with all those involved in the problems surrounding the Club. That includes the EFL getting involved and things like this take time.

Where are we up to? Well up to now the result is we debate it on here and nothing is achieved, zilch!

What’s going to happen? Who knows, but at some point people are going have to talk to each other and maybe that can only start if we as fans of the Club get organised rather than doing what we are doing.

I can only ask again please no tennis balls, bananas or pitch invasion, it will cost the Club money as they have stated will cost money the Club can I’ll afford.

[Keith]

To answer the doc's question.....I accept that the above suggestion is not favoured by quite a few BUT a protest match in the town would only attract the regional media at best when it is nationwide attention (if only for a couple of minutes on highlight games) would in my opinion be more effective.

By all means have a march but in my opinion its value would be negligible in attracting a wider audience than regional.

Regarding only attracting "regional media", the EFL are based in Preston. Regional news coverage is still going to get the message to the right place. Done right, a march would have the desired impact,

[Argumentative]

[quote="fulwoodshrimp"]I contacted the trust and asked if they would organise a working group to go and see the EFL. I also suggested we try and make contact with the Reading group. I would hope we hear something soon. Indeed if members of the trust read this please act on it.Time is running out

Cue the Dick Barton Special Agent music
Yes I know it’s now playing in your heads.

[Billy bodger]

Just read a piece in the Reading Chronicle where the CEO of the EFL, Trevor Birch is talking about Reading FC. He is admitting that the EFL are in ‘uncharted territory’ and went in to state under the regulations Dai Yongee would be disqualified, as he has failed to pay the fine imposed by an independent inquiry for paying players too late. Mr Yongee would have 28 days to divest himself of his ownership and he would hopefully be galvanised into selling. If it is not achieved then it would be uncharted territory!! He further said the EFL have to work under their parameters of Corporate Law and the EFL framework. The EFL meet with the supporters group and the local MP and that the EFL are committed to working alongside the Club and its supporters.

I hope The Shrimps Trust really don’t hang around and get themselves involved and I think letters from fans who are not affiliated to The Shrimps Trust should also get involved and send the EFL letters of concern at the similarities between what’s happening at Reading FC and what’s happening at Morecambe, they both need help.

[fulwoodshrimp]

Another good post, Billy. It is certainly time for action. We are in really serious trouble and the silence is deafening. We need the leadership of the trust to start making people aware of the owner and his treatment of our club.

[Keith]

the EFL are based in Preston. Regional news coverage is still going to get the message to the right place. Done right, a march would have the desired impact

A march, gathering at the Town Hall, going along the pedestrian part of the prom, then down the middle of the road from Regent Road traffic lights, to the Mazuma, would be big enough to demand news coverage, without being too disruptive for locals.

Carry estate agent style "Morecambe FC: For Sale" signs, and plant them on Westgate, along the side of Hurley Flyer, round to the stadium. That way, there is a 'visual' that can be seen after the protest ends. Plan it correctly, with police support. The ideal would be 9th March, v Wrexham, as the Netflix crew may choose to cover it, as it offers something different for them to film. It would play in to the 'this is the difference between Ryan Reynolds, being a good owner from the USA, and a pawnbroker from Essex' narrative. Lots of "we'd love someone like Ryan Reynolds at Morecambe" comments, regardless of what you really think. Advertise the club for sale in the USA. Do Wrexham have a Trust, who may lend support, including contacts? With the media loving Wrexham it may piggyback on to that.

The board may not be able to give active support, but may turn a blind eye to a large 'For Sale' banner being unfurled in front of the club (back drop for interviews). They may even 'lend' us the media 'team' to make a video of the march, with interviews of fans & Trust committee, which can then be shared on social media. The board could then make a strategic decision whether to share it on the official site (probably not?) but it could be in a lot of other places.

The local TV media coverage will be seen by the ELF, as it is 'their' local media too, being based in Preston. It would have to be a very slow news day for it to make national news, but what is obvious is, if we don't do anything, we definitely will not get any media coverage.


And yes, I know, Ryan Reynolds is Canadian.

[Keith]

The board may not be able to give active support...

Town Hall at 11am for speech & gather together.
March, approx 1.5 hours, arrive at club 12:30pm

The club have a 'Happy Hour', or 'pie & pint' deal from 1pm. That would be a great way for the club to say they support the protest, even if they don't say that they support the protest. And, get a cash bonus too. Or, they may choose to actively support it, with Rod & Graham giving a speech at town hall, and interviews?

[vvm]

There might be something in that idea, plenty of time to organise and take advantage of increased attendance and exposure.

Wrexham were in a very similar position all those years ago so you have to imagine they'd be supportive.

[marky No.1]

Tyson said he would be there for the Wrexham game, now that would pack a punch

[black morse]

Sounds good to me! Surely we can all agree on this action?