THE country's most famous non-league football club has joined forces with Hyndburn Council in a bid to recapture its former sporting successes.

Accrington Stanley bosses have already spent £81,000 on a new stand and floodlights over the last 12 months to bring the ground up to the Nationwide Conference league standards.

That is the next next league up from the UniBond League where they are currently positioned.

But commercial director John DeMaine and chairman Eric Whalley are aiming even higher than that.

There are plans to build another 400 seats at a cost of around £20,000 to bring the club up to the level which will entitle them to play in the National Football League, should they qualify.

Council leader Peter Britcliffe and Mr Whalley have been in discussion over the past six months over how the council can help and council chiefs are recommending £3,500 of unspent area council funds to help finance the scheme.

He is also considering allowing the council to sponsor the side, though no decision has yet been taken.

The moves are a far cry from the desperate situation fans found themselves in 1962, when the club resigned from the league when they failed to pay Inland Revenue tax bills.

Mr DeMaine said: "Our long term aim is to get back into the league, but in the more short term, we are looking to win the UniBond Premier league, which will mean promotion to the Nationwide Conference.

"With the recent investment, we have the ground to do it now.

"We want to do it for the people of Accrington.

"You need a minimum of 1,000 seats to be able to play in the football league and we hope to achieve that as soon as we can, but it's all down to money."

Coun Britcliffe said: "The cabinet have been anxious to improve relations with the club, which is a major focal point of Accrington and has put us on the map.

"In the past, there was not enough communication between ourselves and the club but hopefully that is changing.

"Eric and John are very ambitious and will not rest until league status is regained."