Morecambe FC ownership saga looks settled at last

The Morecambe Football Club ownership saga appears to be finally at an end.
Diego Lemos.Diego Lemos.
Diego Lemos.

A court claim by former owner Diego Lemos has been thrown out making Graham Burnard the owner of the Shrimps.

Mr Burnard “is the sole director and major shareholder of G50 Holdings Ltd which owns an 82% stake in Morecambe Football Club” said a statement on the Morecambe FC website.

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Mr Burnard acts for Abdulrahman Al-Hashemi, the former co-chairman of Morecambe who has been putting money into the club over the past few months to help it through a cashflow crisis.

“The Order of the Court made on 2 May 2017 has not been complied with and that has resulted in all claims of Diego Lemos having been dismissed,” said the club statement.

“Morecambe Football Club can now confidently focus on next season.”

Mr Burnard has described himself as a reluctant owner of Morecambe FC, saying in February that it was “not exactly what I intended or wanted”.

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The Durham-based tax consultant first claimed ownership of the club after he set up G50 for Mr Lemos to help him take over Morecambe FC .

When Mr Lemos did not pay Mr Burnard for the share issue, he withheld 99 per cent of the shares in lieu of payment, which he never received.

Mr Lemos, from Brazil, was unveiled as the club’s new owner last September.

He took out an injunction against Mr Burnard after he was removed as a director of G50.

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But on May 2 the High Court in Manchester told Mr Lemos he had to pay £86,000 in costs by May 16 or the case would be dismissed.

Mr Lemos did not attend Tuesday’s court case and his whereabouts is unknown.

Mr Burnard has said previously that his aim was to “stabilise the club and move it forward” and that he hoped to find a new buyer of Morecambe FC.