CHAIRMAN Toby Macormac admits next season would be “long and tough” if Warrington Town are promoted to the National League North but insisted the club was ready for the next level.

Yellows are well placed for a serious promotion challenge in the season’s closing months, with Paul Carden’s side sitting second in the Evo-Stik Premier Division.

However, it is off the pitch where most of the work would need to be done in order to be ready for the next level.

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Cantilever Park would have to meet Grade B of the FA’s National League system ground grading criteria by March 2020 in order to avoid being automatically relegated.

That would involve – among other things – increasing the ground’s capacity to accommodate at least 3,000 people, upgrading the floodlights and adding at least three more entrances.

It is understood that work will only be sanctioned if Town win promotion, and Macormac says a balance needs to be found in that eventuality.

Nevertheless, he says the team’s current excellent position shows how capable Carden is of putting together a competitive squad on a reduced budget.

“If we went up, it would be a long, tough season,” he said.

“We would have to put focus on making sure we stay in the division as well as getting the work done on the ground.

“You have got to offset some of your budget to make sure that work gets done, but we’ll make sure we’ll be as competitive as possible.

“It would be horrendous if we caught people by surprise and finish in the top half, only for the ground graders to come knocking in March and automatically relegate us because the ground isn’t up to scratch.

“There’s some clubs that have gone up but are struggling now, and the quandary is between spending the money to get the ground done or accept being relegated.

“I think we’d rather have a tough season in the National League North and be in it rather than not be in it at all.

“Paul has put a great side together on a reduced budget from last year. I don’t doubt that he’d be able to do that in the division above.

“There will be a time where the manager comes to me and says ‘I’ve had an offer of a player, but it’s x amount.’

“Sometimes you have to stretch yourself and approve that cash to get those sorts of players.

“Hopefully, when that time comes, I will be able to give Paul my 100 per cent backing.

“He would only come to me with that sort of player if he knows they will make a difference or if he really needs it.

“It’s great having budgets or seven or eight thousand pounds, but it’s only as good as what your manager spends it on.

“There’s strikers at teams around us that are on twice the money our strikers are on.

“Are they twice as good as ours? I don’t think so.”