And chairman Carl Garner feels the Blues can then begin to fulfil their vast potential on and off the pitch.

The club has long wanted to replace its ageing clubhouse, which is roughly 40 years old, and are applying for planning permission to replace it with a four-year-old building of broadly similar dimensions, which is available now and is currently located in the Ribble Valley area.

However, as the committee estimates there will be a funding gap of approximately £30,000, an inventive scheme has been devised to raise the necessary capital.

The committee has agreed to put £1,500 from a sponsored walk towards the project, while the Supporters' Club have agreed to add £500.

And for the rest, 500 bricks will be available at £50 each to fans, old and new, townspeople, current and former players, businesses, and anyone who has Clitheroe at heart.

Anyone who buys a brick will be acknowledged in the new clubhouse on a special wall.

Garner is excited by the positive move: "It's in the hands of the council at the moment, as regards planning permission.

"But this is a massive project for us – a must-do project.

"We haven't got a choice if the club wants a future.

"Everything is in place, and we are now just looking to raise the £30,000 shortfall through the brick scheme and donations."

And he feels the new venue will be popular: "If we want to take this project on, we have to do it right, which, since I've been involved at the club, we've tried to do.

"There will be no half-measures, it will be nicely furnished, and the whole community will be able to use it.

"It will be available for hire for functions, which is an asset we haven't really had before."

You can pledge your support by clicking on the Clubhouse Appeal button at www.clitheroefc.co.uk, while provisions have also been made to donate at Barclay's Bank on Castle Street, or by phoning 07788662294.

Meanwhile, proof of Clitheroe's burgeoning fortunes will be seen tomorrow night as former Blues Simon Garner and James Dean take their place in Stalybridge Celtic's 16 for their Blue Square North Play-off Final against Barrow at Burton Albion, with the game televised live by Setanta Sports.

With Joel Byrom also attracting interest, valued in the region of £250,000 by Northwich Victoria after his move from Shawbridge – with the Blues astute enough to insert a healthy sell-on clause – Garner feels the club are developing an identity for giving young talent a platform to perform: "We've sold players we didn't necessarily want to, but the club is prospering.

"Three of last year's team could potentially be in the Conference next season, and Gregg Anderson was in the UniBond Premier Division Play-off Final with Buxton.

"They are carrying the name of Clitheroe forward with them, that we are the place to come for young players, and scouts looking for talent.

"That is a massive positive and certainly helps the club.

"I think we have one or two in the current squad who could certainly go and play at a much higher level as well.

"But the success of those three players gives people an incentive to come here, because we can make them a better player and give them a chance to move on to a higher level."

Garner admits there has been interest from the Conference in midfielder Gary Stopforth, but that the offer was deemed "inadequate" for the former Blackburn Rovers reserve team skipper, and that the ball is back in the bidding club's court.

So, with matters on and off the pitch looking up, with the Blues ending the season as one of the form teams in the UniBond League First Division, he added: "We haven't scratched the surface of the potential here, and I want to realise that.

"We get solid gates of 250, and I think we could get 400 if we were to achieve more success.

"But there is a general feel-good factor around the club, and these are exciting times."