Barrow AFC’s players will be fully focused on turning results around now the club’s future has been secured off-the-pitch, according to captain Josh Granite.

The new ownership structure at Holker Street was announced yesterday, with local businessmen Tony Shearer, Mark Hetherington and Kristian Wilkes set to join chairman Paul Hornby and the Bluebirds Trust on the board.

The announcement ended four weeks of speculation as to who would be succeeding former owner Paul Casson at the top of the club.

Unfortunately, those four weeks have coincided with a downturn in form for the Bluebirds, who have lost their last six games in all competitions and have dropped to within three points of the relegation zone in the National League.

Granite said: “We know that things on the pitch haven’t been good enough in this period and I think it is quite strange that it has coincided in the last four weeks that this has been going on that we’ve not managed to get any results.

“Hopefully now, that’s put to bed and the lads haven’t got any more worries.

“The club’s going in the right direction now, in terms of everybody that’s involved now are local people who are looking for the club to do well.

“So we have got to go and get results now, no more excuses, we’ve got to pull together and get out on the pitch and make sure that the club is going in the right direction up the league table as well.”

Granite is pleased on behalf of the squad that the changeover has been swift and smooth and never threatened to drag on as shifts in ownership frequently tend to do at other clubs.

“I think that’s all down to Paul Hornby being the sort of character he is,” Granite said.

“Having everything in order this quick is down to him and he’s set everything out in the way he said he was going to when he first met all the players four weeks ago.

“It is good to get that assurance that the club is going in the right direction.”

Part of the new structure will have the Bluebirds Trust having their say in the running of the club, with them set to purchase a ten per cent stake.

Granite, who was part of the ‘pitch invasion’ at Holker Street that launched their Share Contribution Scheme last Saturday said: “Since I’ve joined the club I’ve had the support of the fans and different people around Barrow.

“It is a club where everyone from the local community mucks in together and it is good, for me, that the fans have got a little share in the club and they’ll have a say in what goes on because, ultimately, it’s for the fans that come through the gate.”