CHAIRMAN of the Bluebirds Trust Steve Herbert was surprised by the timing of the departure of Barrow AFC owner Paul Casson, but felt a change had been coming.

In his statement, following the surprise news yesterday morning, Casson said he felt the time was right to make the handover to Paul Hornby, as it helps the long-term planning at the club.

The fact that it’s not too drastic a change at the top will minimise disruption at Holker Street, with Hornby already well versed in the ins and outs of the Bluebirds thanks to his time as a director.

Herbert said: “It was a surprise, but not a shock. I think generally around the supporters, there was a feeling that we were into the last period of the Casson family’s ownership.

“However, I think the timing has caught everybody by surprise.

“Obviously we’ve yet to hear what Paul Hornby’s plans are, but he’s well-known and respected locally and he’s certainly got a lot of connections in the local businesses that could be useful.

“He’s also a lifelong Barrow fan, so we’re pleased with that and I’m looking forward to the Trust working with him.”

While not all of Casson’s ambitions for Barrow became reality during his four years at the top, Herbert was positive about what his family were able to achieve after purchasing the club for £600,000 in 2014.

“I think you’ve got to acknowledge that we were in dire straits, financially, when he arrived and he certainly steadied the ship and invested in the playing side,” Herbert said.

“I think they’ll admit themselves that not everything that they planned came to fruition.

“They perhaps didn’t quite realise what they were getting themselves into, but equally I think you’ve got to be fair and thank them for the efforts and finance they put in that enabled us to get promoted out of the Conference North. They also kept the Barrow story going for another four years, ready to hand it over to somebody else for the next chapter.”