Ashvir Singh Johal becomes first Sikh manager in British pro football

ASHVIR SINGH JOHAL has been named manager of Morecambe, becoming the first Sikh to take charge of a professional football club in Britain.

At 30, Johal is also now the youngest manager in England’s top five divisions. He takes over following the club’s recent takeover by the Panjab Warriors consortium and the departure of former boss Derek Adams.

Johal experience from roles at Leicester City’s academy, Wigan Athletic, and Italian side Como. He worked under Kolo Touré at Wigan and assisted Cesc Fàbregas with Como’s youth team.

He recently completed his UEFA Pro Licence, the highest coaching qualification, and has spent over a decade in player development.

In a previous interview with the BBC, Johal said: "I have been fortunate to work with and learn from some incredible people, and I'm especially grateful to Kolo and Cesc. I know what world-class standards look like, how to lead with clarity, and how to develop a team with a real identity.

"We will create an environment that brings the best out of people, that people want to be part of, and that drives people to improve every day."

His appointment follows a difficult period for Morecambe. The National League suspended the club over non-compliance with league rules, leading to postponed fixtures. The team is due to play Altrincham on Saturday (23), but as of Tuesday (19), they had only five contracted players and were not insured to train, making another delay likely.

Johal said his first focus will be to “identify the players as we need to perform well in the National League.”