Clitheroe Football Club has appointed local businessman Stewart Fort as chairman and head of a re-shuffled board designed to take the Blues to the next level.

Whalley-based Fort replaces Lee Sharples, who stood down for personal reasons last month.

Long-serving finance director Andrew Jackson had been acting chairman to help oversee a major recruitment drive from new boss David Lynch – with nine new signings arriving at Shawbridge this summer.

But Fort now comes in to look to grow the business and commercial side of the club.

The Burnley-born one-time sheet metal worker – who has since forged successful metal and manufacturing businesses – sponsored a number of games at Shawbridge last season.

And he has welcomed the opportunity to help shape the fortunes of a club building on and off the pitch to try and move up and out of the Northern Premier League North-West Division.

“I really enjoyed being a guest here and meeting the people involved,” said Fort.

“I have spoken to Andrew several times since about the possibilities and I’m delighted to now be involved and honoured to be asked to be chairman.

“It has already been a successful summer in terms of player recruitment from the new management team and I believe there is real scope to grow the business through increased commercial activities and building the crowds even further.

“There was a great response to the season-ticket offer last season and with Clitheroe very much a growing town, I think we can keep raising the bar and make the football club a real success story.”

Jackson will now take on the role of vice-chairman on an expanded board, with the appointments needing to be verified when the club is able to host an AGM during the current restrictions around Covid-19.

Former manager and chairman Carl Garner has returned to the club this summer as director of football and has worked closely with Lynch in pulling off a batch of high-profile signings to blend with a dozen key men retained from last season’s squad.

Long-serving director Chris Musson continues as match-day secretary, while Sue Collinge has been appointed club and football secretary after joining the Blues last season in an administrative capacity.

In addition, Bob Kay has also re-joined the club as commercial director to help the new chairman with the commercial aspect of the business.

And Pete Oliver is also added to the board to advise in a media and communications role with the directors all backed by an outstanding team of volunteers who are carrying out major improvements and renovation work on and off the playing surface at Shawbridge to get the Blues ready to go when the 2020/21 season is given the go-ahead.