Time for change of direction?

[fulwoodshrimp]

Now that a third relegation is confirmed I wonder if a change of direction is needed. The new owners don’t seem to be football people and their appointment of Ash was a disaster. I wonder if now is the time for we fans to boycott the club starving it of all revenue and set up our own club. A La AFCWimbledon. It would be a drastic step but I feel this could be necessary. I have no confidence the current owners have the ability or the funds to save our club. Is now the time for the trust and fans to take over? COYS.

[Wild Bill]

In a word, no. This is our club, we've all put too much in to abandon it. PW have been shocking with their communication and decision making, but they were dealt a poor hand. Perhaps this season was always going to be very tough. A phoenix club could be starting in the NWCL and no guarantees we'd even have a ground.

We will just have to see how things go in the summer and whether next season could actually be a positive one. As Jimbo said, the club needs the fans more than ever.

[redrobo]

A,new club is a definite NO NO from me.

Our club now needs the fansmore than ever and I want to think that our final home next Saturday of this season to forget is a good place to show what our club means to us by everybody getting down to the Maz and applauding thecteam after what we all knowxwassimply not good enough thanks to PW, CEO and that bloody excuse of a manager

[P/T Indie]

Yes we should have done this two years ago wake up everyone!!

[mrpotatohead]

Never a good time to do it , im on the fence on this one as there would be 2 clubs , both with a diluted fan base an I haven't seen anyone post an even vague way forward with plans or personal.

On the other hand , this lot either make a fist of it, or they fuck off, leaving behind a home for the fans to support their town team.

Either way its a long haul.

[P/T Indie]

If we could find somewhere to play we should do it. Plenty of places in the lower leagues have more than one club Cheadle, st Helens, wythenshawe etc etc

Eventually the original MFC would fold and the phoenix club would take over.

[deadorred70]

I think is we see how things pan out in the next few weeks to see how serious they are with the view bringing in the right players and having the right competent staff on board.

[chipbuns]

A,new club is a definite NO NO from me.

Our club now needs the fansmore than ever and I want to think that our final home next Saturday of this season to forget is a good place to show what our club means to us by everybody getting down to the Maz and applauding thecteam after what we all knowxwassimply not good enough thanks to PW, CEO and that bloody excuse of a manager

Are you being sarcastic? Why would I stay and applaud that shower? Half of them aren't arsed and are clearly picking up a wage.

Jimbo deserves one for trying to save a sinking ship, but that squad? No chance.

[BerlinWaller]

There are too many factions within our small fanbase for a Phoenix club to ever get off the ground. It would lead to a civil war, it would be very similar to what went on at Bury.

Our best bet is uniting and making a stand against Panjab. Is there the fight to do that now though? The Trust seem to be very diplomatic these days rather than in the faces of PW and i'm not sure if the 1920 has the support it deserves to launch another campaign.

The dark clouds are gathering again and we are all just looking at the sky.

[Billy bodger]

There are too many factions within our small fanbase for a Phoenix club to ever get off the ground. It would lead to a civil war, it would be very similar to what went on at Bury.

Our best bet is uniting and making a stand against Panjab. Is there the fight to do that now though? The Trust seem to be very diplomatic these days rather than in the faces of PW and i'm not sure if the 1920 has the support it deserves to launch another campaign.

The dark clouds are gathering again and we are all just looking at the sky.

As you said to many factions to unit against PW. What I would say is a war chest is needed, maybe somebody setting one up just incase at some point in the future a Phoenix Club is ever needed to be got off the ground.

Preparation and all that.

[Keith]

Now that a third relegation is confirmed I wonder if a change of direction is needed. The new owners don’t seem to be football people and their appointment of Ash was a disaster.

We can all agree on that point.

I wonder if now is the time for we fans to boycott the club starving it of all revenue and set up our own club. A La AFCWimbledon... ...Is now the time for the trust and fans to take over? COYS.

Yes we should have done this two years ago wake up everyone!!

Where are you suggesting we play? Where in Morecambe is available, and to Northwest Counties League standard, or can be easily brought up to that standard? Are you suggesting we grovel to Lancaster City for a ground share? (that will go down well!) Or play in Kendal?

How much money would it require?

Wake up everyone who thinks we can simply magic up another club.

If (when ) Morecambe FC go bust, then we need to be ready to pick up the pieces. The Shrimps Trust needs a Business Continuity Plan so we know what we're doing and what needs to happen. The key will be how/if we can access the Mazuma Stadium in the event of Morecambe FC going under?

In the meantime, we're as stuck as Panjab Warriors. We can only hope that the experience of this season has been a wake-up call to them. If their initial plan was to demonstrate that Seihks had a positive contribution to make in football, and posibly grow our support in India, then they now know for sure, it isn't that simple. Their asset wasn't worht what they paid for it in the first instance, it certainly isn't worth anything now. Therefore, there is very little chance of a new owner coming in, without Panjab Warriors being prepared to lose (at my guess) in excess of £10 million. Where that money has come from, who knows? How much 'they' will want back, who knows? How much more loss can they sustain, who knows?

So, in my opinion, we have to hope lessons have genuinely been learned. They need to build some bridges, such as to ex-board members who knew what needed to be done.

If (and this will be controversial, so put down sharp objects and hot drinks before reading...) Ashvier was to return to the club, I'd be okay with that, as long as he had his tail between his legs and was willing to learn. Jim as manager, Ashvier as Assistant Manager, with Neil Wainright closely mentoring him, for a couple of seasons, then okay, bring him back. But some degree of acknowledgment of previous failure would be required. I doubt if that will happen, so the point is moot. But it could be a way back to what would appear to be PW's only legitimate reason for being involved with Morecambe FC.

[chipbuns]

There are too many factions within our small fanbase for a Phoenix club to ever get off the ground. It would lead to a civil war, it would be very similar to what went on at Bury.

Our best bet is uniting and making a stand against Panjab. Is there the fight to do that now though? The Trust seem to be very diplomatic these days rather than in the faces of PW and i'm not sure if the 1920 has the support it deserves to launch another campaign.

The dark clouds are gathering again and we are all just looking at the sky.

Correct. It feels like there's just an acceptance of poor standards, zero ambition and less than mediocrity with that fan page on facebook. People are just happy to have a chin wag at the weekend. There will never be a united fan base because are just happy to bury their heads in the sand. They want us to be a big fish in a small pond again, like the good old days.

Can anyone really believe that Panjab are magically going to turn it around after all the bad decisions they've already made and not learnt from?

[black morse]

Keith-
It's a number of years since I was in Morecambe so I don't know the availability of land but is there nothing out Hest Bank or Heysham way? Presumably if we leave the Mazuma after liquidation the Christies Trust could still be rolled over to purchase ground under a new club name?

[BerlinWaller]

There are too many factions within our small fanbase for a Phoenix club to ever get off the ground. It would lead to a civil war, it would be very similar to what went on at Bury.

Our best bet is uniting and making a stand against Panjab. Is there the fight to do that now though? The Trust seem to be very diplomatic these days rather than in the faces of PW and i'm not sure if the 1920 has the support it deserves to launch another campaign.

The dark clouds are gathering again and we are all just looking at the sky.

Correct. It feels like there's just an acceptance of poor standards, zero ambition and less than mediocrity with that fan page on facebook. People are just happy to have a chin wag at the weekend. There will never be a united fan base because are just happy to bury their heads in the sand. They want us to be a big fish in a small pond again, like the good old days.

Can anyone really believe that Panjab are magically going to turn it around after all the bad decisions they've already made and not learnt from?

It has the same feeling about the place as it did under Jim the last time. Happy to just survive, no ambition and low expectations. I'm not digging out just Jim there, the Board were the same. We only started showing ambition when we got 2 new Directors and Derek was manager.

Jim said the most depressing line i've heard in his interview yesterday, "let's try and finish top of the bottom four" is the most Morecambe FC comment ever

[black morse]

There are too many factions within our small fanbase for a Phoenix club to ever get off the ground. It would lead to a civil war, it would be very similar to what went on at Bury.

Our best bet is uniting and making a stand against Panjab. Is there the fight to do that now though? The Trust seem to be very diplomatic these days rather than in the faces of PW and i'm not sure if the 1920 has the support it deserves to launch another campaign.

The dark clouds are gathering again and we are all just looking at the sky.

Correct. It feels like there's just an acceptance of poor standards, zero ambition and less than mediocrity with that fan page on facebook. People are just happy to have a chin wag at the weekend. There will never be a united fan base because are just happy to bury their heads in the sand. They want us to be a big fish in a small pond again, like the good old days.

Can anyone really believe that Panjab are magically going to turn it around after all the bad decisions they've already made and not learnt from?

It has the same feeling about the place as it did under Jim the last time. Happy to just survive, no ambition and low expectations. I'm not digging out just Jim there, the Board were the same. We only started showing ambition when we got 2 new Directors and Derek was manager.

Jim said the most depressing line i've heard in his interview yesterday, "let's try and finish top of the bottom four" is the most Morecambe FC comment ever

I understand the bit about a 'Morecambe comment' but I think it's a bit unfair on Jim. He has switched the team from being a tippy tippy side who won very few of our games to one that were far more direct as shown by the number of goals scored even without a centre forward who can score goals.

[BerlinWaller]

We might have gone direct but we have still only won a few games under Jim. Said it before, none of this is Jims fault at all.

[Westgate Wanderer]

It's just back to low expectations and little old morecambe! Getting anywhere near league 1 is truly a pipe dream now. It was the golden age under Derek, positive and determined. The worst thing the owners did was sack him for an academy coach. I guess finishing 4th from bottom of the league is an improvement! That position in the football league would have kept so many happy. Not Jim's fault but he was never the answer. Change is definitely needed for next season to have any hope of being at the right end of the league.

[Keith]

Keith-
It's a number of years since I was in Morecambe so I don't know the availability of land but is there nothing out Hest Bank or Heysham way? Presumably if we leave the Mazuma after liquidation the Christies Trust could still be rolled over to purchase ground under a new club name?

Only if land can be found and the existing land sold. My fear/expectation is, because the buildings have had loans secured against them, there will be an almighty, protracted legal case, if Morecambe FC goes out of business. The land belongs to the Christie Trust, but not the buildings.

If we go under, I fear/expect the ground is not usable or saleable, so will sit there decaying until it becomes unsafe, like Rushden & Diamonds ground, then gets demolished. The Christie Trust will then roll over to be a children's play area. I doubt if another move will happen after the devaluing of the Christie Trust the last time.

It's just back to low expectations and little old morecambe!

It has the same feeling about the place as it did under Jim the last time. Happy to just survive, no ambition and low expectations...

Jim said the most depressing line i've heard in his interview yesterday, "let's try and finish top of the bottom four" is the most Morecambe FC comment ever

Too right! Personally, I'll be delighted if we survive!!!

If this time next season we're still here, we've not only survived, but gone all year without any crisis, and we're discussing whether we can still get into the play-offs, I'll say, that would be a massive success.

We ARE 'little old Morecambe' again.
Survival is everything... ...again.

That said, 'top of the bottom five' would be preferable! Top of the bottom four goes down.

[CityShrimp]

Surely you’d snap someone’s hand off to be a bottom end league two club playing hoofball again? The point is that we’ve fallen miles below even that level now.

Oh and Keith you must be crazy to want Ash back in any capacity!

[Keith]

Oh and Keith you must be crazy to want Ash back in any capacity!

I didn't say I want him back, but I'd accept it, if it meant the owners are still achieving what they desire from the club.

[BerlinWaller]

The ambition of Derek was a blip in this clubs history.

[black morse]

We were always punching above our weight in League One and, to be honest, when we were promoted to League Two I never thought we'd stay up as long as we did. Bigger clubs than us have come a cropper.

[Keith]

The ambition of Derek was a blip in this clubs history.

Derek was the right person, at the right time. We also have a certain amount of good luck, for example, COVID season, in front of empty stadiums.

If we'd had decent ownership, then perhaps we could have taken advantage and consolidated, but as we all know, we had dodgy ownership, no investment and 'weird shenanigans' behind the scenes.

Whittingham's leading role in our demise must never be airbrushed out, no matter how crap PW have been.

[sandgrown]

as things stand now, its a def NO

[BerlinWaller]

The ambition of Derek was a blip in this clubs history.

Derek was the right person, at the right time. We also have a certain amount of good luck, for example, COVID season, in front of empty stadiums.

If we'd had decent ownership, then perhaps we could have taken advantage and consolidated, but as we all know, we had dodgy ownership, no investment and 'weird shenanigans' behind the scenes.

Whittingham's leading role in our demise must never be airbrushed out, no matter how crap PW have been.

Never understood the covid thing. Why was it good luck for us to play in front of empty stands and not for any other clubs? Liverpool won* the league in front of empty stands but it is aways claimed that their fans make a difference? Makes no sense to me at all.

Whittinghams role will never be under played but Panjab can't keep hiding behind it. Their mistakes have been as big and as damaging to the football club