Ashvir Singh Johal will be the first Sikh coach of a football club in England, called Morecambe Manager

Ashvir Singh Johal has become the first Sikh to coach a professional club in England after he was named first team manager at the fifth level Morecambe on Tuesday.

The 30-year-old is also the youngest manager in the top five layers of English football.

«He arrives in the Mazuma Mobile Stadium with an excellent reputation as a progressive coach and leader, causing a wealth of experience in player development, tactical innovation and building powerful cultures,» the club said.

«His appointment marks an exciting new era for the shrimp while the club continues its journey under fresh ownership and renewed ambition.»

Johal, who worked for 10 years at the Leicester City Academy and was part of the Kolo Toure coaching team at Wigan Athletic in the championship in 2022, replaces Derek Adams, who left the club after the takeover of the Panjab Warriors Consortium.

The club has to play a match in the National League this season after being suspended because of the failure to meet financial obligations, including not paying staff and uncertainty about ownership.

After completing the sale of the club by the Bond Group on the London -based Panjab Warriors, that suspension was lifted, which means that Johal can start the task to try to reverse the decline of the fortunes of the Seaside Town Club.

«The immediate priority at the moment will be to identify the players we need in this building to ensure that Morecambe Football Club can perform well in the National League,» he said.

Johal completed his UEFA Pro license in June.