Worcester Warriors owners on Morecambe & other sports at Sixways

The pair owning both raised eyebrows and questions as to which would take priority but Goldring is adamant their attention is on matters at Sixways.

He was also keen to scotch suggestions of an MK Dons-style move south for the Shrimps but the prospect of football making its way to the county’s home of rugby was not ruled out.

Multi-sport use is being considered as part of plans to drive down seven-figure losses but both owners were firm in stating that rugby would remain the priority.

“We are quite fortunate at Morecambe, we kept on the existing board for continuity initially and they have worked very hard to grow the club and manage it on a daily basis,” said Goldring.

“Jason and I are not involved full-time with Morecambe. We add value wherever we can and continue to do that but the time needs are nowhere near what they are here.

“We are working full-time on Worcester – on the Warriors and Sixways Stadium – that’s our focus.

“We have had offers for Morecambe and were looking at several of those but there was never an intention to put the club up for sale.

“Some of the fans after that made some very sensible comments about the fact that if you got a really good offer for any asset, even if it wasn’t on the market, then you would consider selling.

“That’s true for Morecambe but we have dedicated to and planned for at least a two-year holding pattern.

“While Morecambe is not up for sale there are offers on the table. At the moment those are not at the level we would accept. If they came up to the right level then we would accept.”

Whittingham added: “It is also about the people behind those offers. As an owner you have a responsibility to sell it to the right person.

“As Colin said, we were transparent with the club and the fans that we always saw it as a two-year deal.

“We have just done the first year – I think it was June 2018 when we completed – and we never had any intention of being there beyond two years but we were always honest about that.

“There are offers on the table but they are not right, not only because of the financial value but also the people behind them.

“One of them comes from a hedge fund in Canada. It would be the wrong thing to do.”

Homeless Wimbledon being taken to Milton Keynes and renamed MK Dons in 2004 remains one of the most controversial off-field deals in football history and Goldring was quick to rule out any prospect of such a move.

“The Wimbledon to MK Dons situation was unique and I cannot see anyone doing that ever again. It is not something we would consider,” he said.

“Morecambe is doing very well as it is and ultimately, it is Morecambe Football Club. It should be in Morecambe and I don’t see any value in moving it down to Sixways.

“As for the question of whether we would consider football at Sixways, the answer is yes.

“We have looked at what works well at other clubs, you have Bristol and the multi-sport discipline there which works very well.

“The difference here is that rugby would always be the core. We are proud of the fact we are Premiership club.

“Worcester is a very rugby-focused city so why would you want to change that?

“We would look at multi-sport, not just football. There are a range of things becoming increasingly popular.

"We also have good relations with the university so there would probably be conversations with them about what would work without adversely affecting them.”

Whittingham added: “What we are trying to do is make the rugby club sustainable so if part of the contribution to that is a football club then fine, but it is not about a football club.

“If it was hockey, netball, clay pigeon shooting, it doesn’t matter. If we can use this facility, not just here but all of this land, why wouldn’t we?

“Fundamentally, honestly, it is about supporting the rugby club.

“We own a football club and we don’t want people to think for one minute that we’re just looking to bring in football because we’re not.”