In his weekly the Hearle World column, Mark Hearle talks football…
The plight of Morecambe Football Club has not been far away from the back page headlines and the thoughts of many who enjoy a regular helping of non-league football.
Despite interest from parties wishing to explore the possibility of taking over the club, current owners the Bond Group have been unwilling so far to interact with any group showing an interest in keeping the Shrimpers alive.
Indeed one party, the Panjab Warriors, claim that a sale has already been agreed for the club, relegated from the football league last term, calling for the Bond Group to ‘Stop prolonging the suffering of everyone impacted by the current crisis at Morecambe FC’.
Football clubs struggling to make ends meet are not a new thing with both league and non-league clubs not exempt from having to constantly take a look over their shoulder to ensure the wolf isn’t there.
In Morecambe’s situation, though, I do find it remarkable that it seems a willing buyer is ready to take the club on, yet the current incumbent seems only too keen to do everything within their powers to ensure that a deal is not struck.
Time is now becoming critical with the club being suspended from the National League until August 20, with a possible expulsion to follow if things are not sorted the situation does look bleak with the club’s continued existence hanging by the slightest of threads.
In times like this there are so many losers.
The players and staff who haven’t been paid properly since May instantly spring to mind.
Also though not far behind, are the club’s supporters, the lifeblood of any football club.
For them, the uncertainty and not knowing must be unbearable – a new season without your club to support is unthinkable I would suggest.
The Linnets, of course, went bang during an actual season but the feeling of emptiness at the time is now being experienced by Morecambe supporters as I write.
The government is doing its best to bring financial order to the world of football with the football governance act which was finally passed only last month.
For now, the finer detail of the act isn’t clear and until such times as what powers and constraints will be afforded to the governance panel, I will keep my powder dry as to the positives it may bring to our national game.
However, these kinds of situations are something that needs to be nipped in the bud sooner rather than later to avoid such instances from happening in the future.
I’ve said previously that it seems even the best businessmen/owner of a football club appears to lose all sense of common sense when it comes to being frugal with finances and what can be achieved with limited resources at any given time and this is still very much the case to this day.
Until the ‘win at all costs’ factor is removed the game, particularly down the football pyramid, may always be built on shifting sands, something an end must be put to.
GROUNDS FOR OPTIMISM
James Rowe’s upbeat, post-match interview, posted by the Linnets media team following the opening day 1-1 draw with league newcomers Telford United, summed up perfectly the feeling around the ground on the conclusion of matchday one.
The Lynn boss, like his players, would have been nervous as they assembled on Saturday to kick off another brand new shiny National League North season in front of their own supporters, keen to get off to a good start.
Ultimately, it will be a game they should have won, given the chances they created and the possession that was mostly theirs. The underlying feeling, though, was one of positivity from both management and staff alike, something that we probably haven’t seen enough of within the football club for some time.
It has to be remembered that this is a very much changed Linnets line-up to the one that finished last season with around eight or so new starters at the weekend compared to the team that completed last season’s fixtures and some time will have to be afforded as they continue to become accustomed to each other’s style of play.
The vast majority of comments I saw after the game were greatly impressed with Town’s commitment and hard work which was something the new Lynn boss also alluded to in that post-match chat.
The attacking intent was also noted and greeted with enthusiasm from supporters who already appear to be investing into this new look Lynn football club, both on and off of the pitch.
It also appears that TSI’s takeover of the club is nearing its conclusion with CEO Bal Srai stating it to be imminent, with only further discussions in relation to the DCMS loan holding things up. I have a feeling that once this situation is 100% rubber-stamped, the already healthy levels of positivity towards, and indeed at, the club will increase further.
TSI’s topman Jo Phua journeyed from Singapore to take in the game and, according to his social media feed, was very impressed with what he saw and is confident a good season for the club’s supporters is on its way.
After the relative opening day success, I’m sure there are many more who are feeling exactly the same.
Away games present new challenge
Before they are back in action on home soil, Lynn open up their away league campaign with a couple of games, beginning at Hereford on Saturday, quickly followed by a long Tuesday evening trip to Spennymoor Town.
It’s a tough baptism of road travel for James Rowe with the Linnets as they face two teams who, like themselves, feel they should be involved in proceedings at the top of the National League North table this time around.
Both flirted last season with the play-off places before falling away from contention with the finishing line in sight.
I’m looking forward to seeing Rowe’s team selections for both of these away games as initially it looks like a team who could quite easily sit in if they have to in some away games, hoping to catch their hosts on a counter-attack if the chance arrives.
The team does have a pacy feel to it with the likes of Ross Crane, Michael Gyasi and Joe Nyahwema all very capable of splitting a defence open in seconds with their said pace.
I think last weekend the team created 23 chances or so and they only need to take a couple or three more of those in a game and they should secure the full quota of points.
A visit to Edgar Street is never easy for any visiting team with the ‘Bulls’ always receiving tremendous support from a very large fan base which last year averaged well over 2,000 per game over the season.
Equally, though, that said the same crowd can also turn quickly on their own team, something the visitors will be looking to do.
Spennymoor are not blessed with that kind of support but have a capable-looking squad who I fancy to be challenging for a play-off place again this season.
By a strange quirk of fate the Linnets’ next two opponents met last weekend with Saturday’s hosts going down to a 2-0 defeat on their travels.
After the weekend draw, the Linnets will be very confident of collecting their first maximum haul of points in one of these games – something they are more than capable of achieving.
