Exclusive By Jon Colman

Last updated 08:23, Friday, 11 July 2008

Fred Story last night revealed he would not have sold Carlisle United if the Blues had been promoted to The Championship last season.

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The construction millionaire last week ended his four-year Brunton Park tenure when he sold his controlling stake to four existing directors.

But the former United supremo told The Cumberland News that he would not have walked away from the challenge of establishing the club at English football’s second tier had John Ward’s side been promoted in May.

“I think I would have stuck around, because if we had gone up it would have been a big challenge,” said Story. “To have sold the club then would have been seen to be shying away from that challenge. I wouldn’t have done that.

“I would have done whatever I could to try and stabilise in the Championship, or have a damage limitation exercise if we couldn’t survive in The Championship.”

Story ultimately sold to four members of the United board – David Allen, John Nixon, Andrew Jenkins and Steve Pattison – despite overtures from former owner John Courtenay.

Irishman Courtenay has threatened legal action to block the sale due to the ongoing dispute over the floodplain land next to Brunton Park.

Story, who is awaiting Courtenay’s next move on the matter, today reveals in an exclusive interview with The Cumberland News why he decided to sell United – and the reasons why the four directors were the best option for the club.

“The only way Carlisle can stay in the Championship is if it increases its fan base,” he said. “It’s as simple as that.

“I know we haven’t been that creative on ticket initiatives and things like that, but I think the new owners are getting their heads around that now. We have had schoolkids coming free of charge, and giving them a ticket so they can come back with their dads the week after.

“One of the most satisfying things for me has been seeing kids walking down Warwick Road with their dads. That says to me the club has got a healthy future. If you get kids young, you’ve then got loyalty to the club.”

He added: “Look at teams in The Championship. Two thirds of them have got a fan-base of 20,000, so for Carlisle it’s a long shot. But we have got advantages. We own our own ground whereas some clubs are paying £600,000 a year rent. That’s a big advantage we must always retain.

“If you are playing and surviving in The Championship, your players deserve Championship wages. I can’t pretend we can afford Championship wages, but I do think the club can fight for promotion, see if it survives, and if it doesn’t, make sure it doesn’t mortgage itself to the hilt in the process.

“If it came back down it should be in a position to go back up again, and in the process and excitement of that, you are giving people a reason to come back to the club and slowly your fan base increases.

“I know some fans want it all yesterday, but that way spells trouble for tomorrow.

“Gretna proved that is fools’ gold. The satisfaction I got from owning Carlisle United is the strategy we adopted has won.”