ATHERTON LR Football Club this week made a decision which they hope will be the start of the long road back to the glory days. However, it was a decision off the pitch and not on it.

The man responsible is the club's Director of Football Steve Plant whose business involves running successful lotteries for semi-professional football clubs.

The Gold Bond Lottery is a scheme organised by Blackpool Football Club and offers smaller clubs the opportunity to run a lottery with massive cash prizes and cars.

Steve, who runs lotteries at four other clubs, launched a Gold Bond Lottery at LR three months ago to work alongside the club's Saturday Yankee Lottery.

But he has now convinced the club to transfer all their Yankee members to the Gold Bond Scheme.

The club now has almost 2000 members and will nearly triple its income overnight while also offering its members much better prizes.

For instance, Martin Butler of Atherton, recently won a brand-new car in the draw.

Steve said: "To be successful on the pitch you must have the revenue coming in from a sound commercial set up.

"By switching the Yankee into the Gold Bond we have made enormous strides overnight.

"And although this is just the start, it shows you this club's ambition to get back into the Unibond League as quickly as possible.

No disrespect to the North West Counties League but a club of LR's potential should be playing at Unibond level at least.

"To enable us to compete and move forward from the level where we are currently at, we need to raise the funds necessary."

To join the club's Gold Bond Lottery contact Steve on 0161 777 9287.