Not so new owners

[mrpotatohead]

Please don't turn this into an anti Jim post, we are 13 games in with 7 points, so if this is to be multiplied by 4 we would finish on 28 points , a colossal 18 short of last year's 46 which barely saved us, given that apart from "steadying the ship" , by settling a few bills , the not so new owners haven't done much else, I think investment in January of any significance is extremely unlikely, so what's the answer?

(Sacking the manager is not an answer whatever you think as it'd be too expensive)

[P/T Indie]

There isnt one the owners were never interested in us to begin with all they are bothered is getting some return at the end of the 2 years.

I have never understood how they would make a cash return so let's see what happens in summer, relegation might be the least of our problems. Remember that mortgage and all those strange transfers and setting up a ew company for some land I can see it all coming back to haunt us.

The answer was Jim's time ran about 3/4 years ago when crowds were hitting rock bottom we should have acted then or at least not renewed his last contract but noone did and now we are stuck in this hopeless situation.

[mrpotatohead]

The last 10 years have shown us an undesputable fact..this town cannot muster the finance or support to substain a football league club...an annual loss and poor gates are a fact of life and Morecambe fc owners need to plan accordingly. Concentrating on a steady non league affordable status..and an improvement in youth development.

[Redalert1970]

The national league is not a bad league and is full of ex league clubs

We will probably get less money from certain areas but it’s not end of the world if we end up there

[BerlinWaller]

We are the ugly sister to the glamorous and more lucrative Rugby Union club. The owners aren't wealthy guys who can chuck money at both clubs. They can only spend what they bring in.

MPH is right in what he says about the town not supporting the club but the club has also let the town down. So many things went wrong after Wembley and they were never put right. Big decisions were made and proved wrong over time. Jim should never have had a contract extension as things became stale but then would we have survived the Lemos farce without Jim who dragged the club through those days?

The owners have lost interest, failed to deliver on what they said and are looking for a way out but they saved the club ultimately. I think it is time that they addressed the fans and let us know what their intentions are for the last 6 months of their 2 year plan.

[fulwoodshrimp]

If the owners are in it for the money then they will need to invest in the club in the January window. As a non-league club our value would plummet and they would struggle to make money on us. As a league club receiving finance each year from the Football league we must have greater value. So come on owners, get your wallets out and invest in a couple of players otherwise your investment has backfired.

[Gone_Shrimping]

The national league is not a bad league and is full of ex league clubs

We will probably get less money from certain areas but it’s not end of the world if we end up there

Yes it is. We only receive funding for the academy for 2 years if we leave the EFL. Dagenham had to sack all their academy staff and academy manager last year after their funding was stopped.

[MFC-Manc]

The national league is not a bad league and is full of ex league clubs

We will probably get less money from certain areas but it’s not end of the world if we end up there

To me it’s a very tough league and I feel we would get relegated from it.... afc fylde threw money at it and didn’t get up and are now in the relegation places.... there is a lot of bigger clubs in that league and I don’t want us to go back to the national leagues with crowds of 200-300 and lose the globe arena.

[BerlinWaller]

It reminds me of when we were struggling in the Conf under Harvey and we brought Jacko back who then scored a bag full to keep us up. January will be a clear indication of what the owners have in store for us, unless they make a bigger call before then.

[Keith]

To me it’s a very tough league and I feel we would get relegated from it...

My view too. We'd need a budget increase to become a middle ranking National League side. Without that, we'd be National League North, which is probably realistic. A few years after any relegation from the EFL, we'd be a yo-yo club, top National League North, lower National League. For some people, that would be more interesting & exciting, and they may have a point. But I doubt if we'd ever return to the EFL.

I had hoped that a local consortium would have come in with a bit of cash to spend. If they are going to, they need to hurry up if they want us to be a Football League club!

[P/T Indie]

If the owners are in it for the money then they will need to invest in the club in the January window. As a non-league club our value would plummet and they would struggle to make money on us. As a league club receiving finance each year from the Football league we must have greater value. So come on owners, get your wallets out and invest in a couple of players otherwise your investment has backfired.

But what if their investment is secured against a plot of land that they can sell off. In that case they might not care what the value of the club is if they can get their money back through land.

Remb just before they bought us we could have gone down and they said it wouldn't have mattered that always seemed strange like they have a plan B.

If we go down I think we would suffer back to back relegations look at Stockport and Chesterfield have also flirted with relegation.
I think these owners are just literally a mortgage facility for us they stumped up a lump of cash to save us and as long as we pay them back every month they don't care what league we are in.

[BerlinWaller]

If the owners are in it for the money then they will need to invest in the club in the January window. As a non-league club our value would plummet and they would struggle to make money on us. As a league club receiving finance each year from the Football league we must have greater value. So come on owners, get your wallets out and invest in a couple of players otherwise your investment has backfired.

But what if their investment is secured against a plot of land that they can sell off. In that case they might not care what the value of the club is if they can get their money back through land.

Remb just before they bought us we could have gone down and they said it wouldn't have mattered that always seemed strange like they have a plan B.

If we go down I think we would suffer back to back relegations look at Stockport and Chesterfield have also flirted with relegation.
I think these owners are just literally a mortgage facility for us they stumped up a lump of cash to save us and as long as we pay them back every month they don't care what league we are in.

They are nothing more than high end pawn brokers. That is how I describe them when people ask about them. PMG went cap in hand when we needed cash and secured it against the club. No different to pawning your TV when you are skint.

[Keith]

But the land itself (within the ground) is in trust, so that is worthless. The carparks is sellable I guess? The stands are built on Trust land, but don't belong to the Trust, I think? I guess there could be no club, with no access available to the pitch?

Our worrying times are still not gone. Not as imminent as some clubs, such as Macclesfield, but worrying nonetheless.

[Morecambe Jack]

The implication of relegation is far wider than just playing in the conference.

The club is losing hundreds of thousands already, so once you take away EFL money and the bigger away following like yesterday, there is going to be significant financial losses that would put the club in jeopardy without someone willing to cover them. The impact on the academy has also been mentioned.

If the owners (or whoever is the financial backing behind those two individuals) have anything about them they will act in January to avoid the above. There is a price to pay to keep the league status. Whether that is changing the manager or bringing in new players - both are gambles, both cost money, but something would have to happen if we are still in this predicament in two months time.

Another opportunity to share the details on the protection the stadium has within the JBC Trust: https://shrimpstrust.co.uk/campaigns/jb-christie-trust

[Sakhalin Shrimp]

But the land itself (within the ground) is in trust, so that is worthless.

But wasn’t Christie Park in trust? that was manoeuvred around and sold to Sainsburys.

[Morecambe Jack]

But the land itself (within the ground) is in trust, so that is worthless.

But wasn’t Christie Park in trust and that was manoeuvred around and sold to Sainsburys.

But the point is that it is the Trustees of the JBC Trust that control that - not the Football Club or its owners. It also involved going through the courts and transferring that covenant to the new land.

[BerlinWaller]

Who would be in this "local consortium" that RR and now Keith mention?

[KenH]

But the land itself (within the ground) is in trust, so that is worthless.

But wasn’t Christie Park in trust? that was manoeuvred around and sold to Sainsburys.

The club wouldn't have moved had they not been offered so much by Sainsbury for the site. Christie park was a lot more valuable than the Westgate site. I can't see another supermarket wanting Westgate and it won't be worth £10m for housing.

[Wild Bill]

Interesting discussion. Can't help thinking though though folk's outlooks would be quite so gloomy if we'd have nicked a couple of wins and were sitting a few places higher up the table. Attendances have to be the biggest positive. We are currently averaging 2374. And that's despite not seeing a win all season.

[Sakhalin Shrimp]

But the land itself (within the ground) is in trust, so that is worthless.

But wasn’t Christie Park in trust and that was manoeuvred around and sold to Sainsburys.

But the point is that it is the Trustees of the JBC Trust that control that - not the Football Club or its owners. It also involved going through the courts and transferring that covenant to the new land.

Thanks, wasn’t sure how it works, won’t happen again then and us end up on Acre Moss Lane or similar?

[KenH]

Just got to hope the latest accounts show far smaller losses and then the club may be more attractive to new buyers.

[BerlinWaller]

Just got to hope the latest accounts show far smaller losses and then the club may be more attractive to new buyers.

The owners predict that we will be one of only four clubs to break even this year

[redrobo]

Who would be in this "local consortium" that RR and now Keith mention?

Talking to a close relative of a former Director yesterday, he gave the impression that a 'local consortium' made up of former and current Directors is more than a 'pipe dream'.....

[BerlinWaller]

Who would be in this "local consortium" that RR and now Keith mention?

Talking to a close relative of a former Director yesterday, he gave the impression that a 'local consortium' made up of former and current Directors is more than a 'pipe dream'.....

It would be nice but would these people have the wealth to push us on or just enough to keep a club in the town? After all, these guys were in charge until PMG rode in to town with some serious cash and pushed us on.

[mrpotatohead]

If Neils "superstar shrimps" consortium were more than a pipe dream they surely would have popped up when the club was available for peanuts...a buyer would now need deep pockets and any current or former directors will be well aware of the massive operating costs of running MFC.