When Paul Casson’s £600,000 takeover of Barrow AFC was voted through by the club’s members on May 1 2014, the Texas-based businessman was inheriting something of a mess.

Much of the facilities at Holker Street had become dilapidated, with the failing floodlights at the ground one of 30 repair works that required attention.

Things weren’t much better on the pitch, either, as the Bluebirds had just finished 11th in the Conference North after their relegation from the Premier division the previous season.

On the job facing him, Casson, who was brought up in Barrow, told The Mail: “It’s very difficult in the immediate future because we have to replace the floodlights before the start of the season.

“We now have to think about the whole future development in a very short period of time, whereas, ideally we would have taken the next 18 months.”

Casson also brought vast investment (by sixth-tier standards, at least) to the football side of things while putting in grand plans for the redevelopment of the ground.

These included putting a roof over the Holker Street Terrace and the extension, to either side, of the Main Stand, but unfortunately none of them came to pass.

The biggest success of Casson’s regime was fairly immediate, however, as his faith in manager Dave Edmondson was rewarded with promotion to the National League after his first season as owner.

Casson was determined that this was going to be the start of Barrow’s journey and was targeting a return to the Football League, which AFC haven’t graced since 1972.

“I expect us to be in the play-off conversation,” he said not long after promotion was secured.

However, a mid-table finish was all the Bluebirds could muster in the 2015/16 campaign, leading Casson to eventually replace Edmondson with Paul Cox, who had taken Mansfield up just two years prior.

They came closer to achieving their owner’s dream the next year, as Cox’s side finished seventh, seven points off the play-offs.

A mid-season slump had proved costly, but Barrow appeared well-placed to push on and challenge at the top of the National League. However, things collapsed on the pitch the following year.

Casson found out just how unforgiving football ownership can be after Cox’s resignation in August 2017, with the decision to replace him with Micky Moore backfiring, as he lasted just two months.

Eventually, AFC escaped relegation by the skin of their teeth under Ady Pennock.

While Casson departs the Bluebirds with the club in a healthier state than how he found it, his reign will be viewed upon with some mixed feelings.

More on the change of ownership at Barrow AFC Page 2