Ashvir Singh Johal has made history by becoming the first Sikh to manage a professional British football club and the youngest manager across the top five tiers of English football.
At 30 years old, Johal’s appointment as the manager of Morecambe Football Club, a team in the National League, represents a landmark moment not only for the club but also for diversity and representation within the sport.
His journey into coaching began at a young age, progressing through youth setups and gaining valuable experience as an assistant to notable figures, including Kolo Toure at Wigan Athletic and Cesc Fabregas at Como.
Despite work permit challenges cutting short his time in Italy, Johal continued building his credentials by coaching Notts County’s B-team and graduating with a UEFA Pro Licence alongside England footballer Jack Wilshere.
The appointment comes during a critical period for Morecambe FC, a club with a 105-year history that recently faced significant adversity.
After suffering relegation from League Two to the National League and financial difficulties that risked the club’s existence, Morecambe was suspended by the National League amid ownership uncertainties.
The turning point arrived with the takeover by Panjab Warriors, a Sikh-led investment group, which finalized the acquisition on August 17, following clearance from the English Football League earlier in June. This historic sale ended a turbulent three-year period since the club’s put-up-for-sale notice by the former owner, Bond Group Investments, in 2022.
The impact of the takeover was nonetheless immediate and visible during Morecambe’s first match back, following the lifting of the suspension, against Altrincham on August 23. Under Johal’s leadership and with just 120 minutes of training split across two sessions, Morecambe secured a vital 2-1 victory.
The narrow victory featured a tactical surprise as Johal deployed a 5-3-2 formation, a setup not practiced beforehand but swiftly communicated to the players during the match — a move that led to the winning counter-attack goal in stoppage time.
The supporters, staff, and new owners celebrated this dramatic result, with the crowd singing the local favourite “Bring Me Sunshine” in unison.
For the club’s loyal fans, the win was much more than just a match result. It was a symbol of survival, a victory for hope and resilience. Johal’s commitment to winning and being the best manager he can be reflects the wider ambition for Morecambe to rebuild and thrive. They face the challenges of adapting quickly to competitive football again, with their opening fixtures postponed previously due to compliance issues.
Johal, recalling years of preparation and learning across various coaching environments, expressed a readiness to lead Morecambe back to success.
