Gazette
Subscribe
Updated
Non-League Football
Football
Sport
Colchester
Essex

Maldon & Tiptree FC announce they have new ownership

Jonathan Waldron Profile Image
By Jonathan Waldron Sports Writer
<i>(Image: Newsquest Ltd)</i>
(Image: Newsquest Ltd)
This article is brought to you by our exclusive subscriber partnership with our sister title USA Today, and has been written by our American colleagues. It does not necessarily reflect the view of The Herald.

MALDON & Tiptree have new owners.

A consortium of local business people has invested in the club, with the stated aim of securing a sustainable long-term future for the Jammers.

The new ownership group is made up of Sonny Shahnawaz, S. Miah, I. Furtado and Jamil Trofder.

The group is entirely independent of the Jammers' previous ownership, representing a complete change in the leadership and direction.

Barrie Drewitt-Barlow and Scott Drewitt-Barlow bought Maldon & Tiptree in 2025, with Barrie's son Aspen the club's sole shareholder and controlling owner.

But Jammers supporters were told last month that the previous owner could no longer afford to fund the club.

In a statement, the Jammers said the prospective new owners had been involved in discussions for some time and remained committed to protecting the club’s position within the local community.

The Pitching In Isthmian Premier club said: 'We are delighted to confirm the acquisition of Maldon & Tiptree Football Club by a new ownership group.

'We recognise that recent months have brought uncertainty for everyone connected with the club.

Jamie Cureton: The last of the goalhangers tells his remarkable story

'Our focus now is firmly on the future: providing stability, supporting the people already doing great work here and building a club that our supporters and the wider Maldon and Tiptree communities can be proud of.

'On the pitch, we want to nurture the talent already within the club while creating opportunities for new talent to develop and flourish.

'Off the pitch, our ambition is just as important. This is a community football club, and we want supporters, families, local businesses and grassroots football to feel genuinely part of what we build.



'We are not arriving with promises of overnight transformation. We are here to listen, to work, and to build sustainably.

This is a fresh chapter for Maldon & Tiptree FC — built together with the people who make this club what it is.'

The statement stops short of confirming that a takeover has been completed, with discussions continuing and no further detail given on the identity of the consortium, the scale of the proposed investment or a potential timeframe for an agreement.

However, the announcement provides a clear indication that efforts are being made behind the scenes to put the club on a firmer financial footing.

There has been uncertainty regarding Maldon & Tiptree’s future, with the Jammers Fans Association (JFA) stating that they were aware a selection of supporters had received an email from the club’s representatives ‘regarding their intent to liquidate Maldon & Tiptree FC’.

The JFA say the club’s fans have been left facing an “impossible choice” between attending matches to support the management team and players, or staying away from home games amid concerns over where their money goes.

READ MORE: Colchester fans are among League Two’s hardest hit in this category

The Jammers will hope the proposed investment can provide stability and enable the club to plan with greater confidence for the future, both on the pitch and within the wider community.

Further updates are expected once discussions with the relevant stakeholders have reached a conclusion.

The new owners are hosting a Q&A session on Saturday (September 12) prior to the club's home game against Whitehawk.

It starts at noon in the Jammers Sports Bar - register your interest and questions here

Non-League Football
Football
Sport
Colchester
Essex

Get involved
with the news

Send your news & photos