Last Tuesday, the Bluebirds Trust held its most significant meeting since we debated raising £50,000 in order to purchase a stake in Barrow AFC.

We were considering several motions which, when combined, would fundamentally realign the Trust toward playing our part as an owner of our football club.

Anybody who attended the recent fans’ forum at the Co-op Bowling Club and listened to Paul Hornby that night will be under no illusion as to what it takes to run this football club and to deliver the level of success that each and every one of us is currently revelling in.

The simple fact is this: Barrow AFC are unlikely to ever be sustainable at the National League level. As a club and a board of directors, but most importantly as a fanbase and a community, that gives us all a choice: where do we want our long-term future to be? National League North, or the Football League?

That reality and that choice faces us all. It’s not to say that a failure to be promoted this season will see us crash out of the division next year.

We haven’t staked our future or spent unreasonable sums to chase a dream that can’t be achieved. But it’s to say, calmly and rationally, that four men can’t be expected to pay year after year to prop us up artificially in this division. And nor should they, because there is a fifth investor: us, the support.

Fundamentally, if this support can’t demonstrate its own commitment to match that of Tony Shearer, Kris Wilkes or anybody else on the board, that in itself will be an indicator of our long term future.

Gates have risen. Volunteer numbers are at unprecedented highs. These are positive markers and they are hugely appreciated.

But what this comes down to in the end is a question of the extent to which we as a Trust and a community can support the rest of the owners financially.

All of these issues were debated at length on Tuesday night, and in the coming days there will be an announcement of a crucial new initiative by the Bluebirds Trust.

The original share raise and the 1901 Club have each been backed phenomenally by this community. Now we face that next choice, the one which could see us achieve our dreams of a return to the Football League.

*Maidenhead United’s pleasant York Road ground is the oldest football ground in continuous use in the world.

However, in the 129 years that football has been played there, it can’t have seen many more comprehensive and dominating performances from a visiting team.

Barrow rolled into town top of the league, not with a bankrolled, self-entitled swagger but with a remarkable work ethic; ferocious pace, interchangeable, outstanding midfielders, skilful attackers and a tough as teak defence who can play a bit too.

It’s difficult to overstate our dominance in this match. Lewis Hardcastle typified the performance with his clever movement and passing but anyone could have been man of the match.

We could have scored seven or eight and were roared on for 90 minutes by those lucky enough to make it down.

Many of our support have seen some hard days watching Barrow and the consensus on a happy bus heading home was that every moment of this is to be cherished.

The Maidenhead report on the match concluded by saying that, if Barrow continued to play like this, we have every chance of remaining top of league right through the season. They are right.

*For some, Aintree offers the pinnacle of the racing calendar. Others thrill to the thundering hooves charging home at Epsom, or the fashion parade of Ascot.

But whether it’s Cheltenham or Carlisle, no event quite matches the white-hot atmosphere of the Bluebirds Trust Race Night, which is being held at The Ambrose Hotel this Saturday, starting at 8pm.

We will be raising money for the Trust, which will go to support all our fundraising efforts as we seek to play the fullest part we can, for supporters, in the life of our club.

For those of you unfamiliar with a Race Night, it offers you the chance to have a good drink while ‘gambling’ a few pounds on the outcome of various races which have been bizarrely named by various sponsors.

There’s also a raffle with some great prizes, including some from Barrow AFC.

Huge thanks are due to Ronan McCarthy for organising the event, and Jimmy Ireland and Lisa Rook for providing commentary and bookmaking. The Ambrose, our long-time sponsors for travel, are always great hosts.

The response so far has been fantastic. It’s always a great laugh, especially when after a Barrow home game, and offers a much-needed chance to raise funds. Get yourselves down there on Saturday.