British Sikh, Ashvir Singh Johal presides over Morecambe, marking his entry into England's top five football leagues as their new manager.
Morecambe FC Enters an Exciting New Era with Ashvir Singh Johal as Manager
Ashvir Singh Johal has made history by becoming the first British Sikh manager in the top five English football leagues, taking the helm at Morecambe FC. At just 30 years old, Johal brings a wealth of coaching experience to the Lancashire side.
Johal's journey in football began at Leicester City's academy, where he coached under-7s through to under-18s for a decade. His career has since seen him work with Cesc Fabregas at Italian side Como, serve as first-team coach at Wigan Athletic under Kolo Toure, and hold the B Team head coach position at Notts County. Johal is renowned for his forward-thinking coaching style and tactical innovation [1][2][4].
Morecambe FC, however, finds itself in a challenging financial and sporting position. Last season, the club was relegated from League Two (the fourth tier), and at the start of the 2025–26 season, they faced difficulties, including having their first two National League games postponed due to failure to comply with league rules, primarily due to squad size issues resulting from financial and operational challenges. At the time of Johal's appointment, only five players were under contract, necessitating a complete squad rebuild to stabilize the club's future [1][2].
The club was saved from extinction by a takeover completed by new owners Punjab Warriors just a day before Johal's appointment. This takeover marks an "exciting new era" for Morecambe FC, according to the club's statement [5]. The new owners have promised to pay off the debts by Wednesday [3].
Johal's appointment comes a day after the previous boss, Derek Adams, was sacked. The delayed season opener for Morecambe is scheduled to be at home against Altrincham on Saturday [6]. Johal has stated his goal is to ensure the club's success and to make Morecambe thrive, not just survive, in the National League this year.
With Johal at the helm, Morecambe FC enters a new chapter, one filled with hope and ambition. The club's statement emphasizes that Johal's appointment is part of this "exciting new era" [5]. The new owners, part of the consortium Panjab Warriors, are committed to supporting Johal and the team as they strive for success in the National League.
[1] The Guardian
[2] BBC Sport
[3] Morecambe FC Official Statement
[4] The Athletic
[5] Morecambe FC Official Twitter
[6] National League Fixtures
