MARK Harris says Witton have reached a crossroads as a club sooner than he expected.

Albion’s chairman told fans at a forum on Wednesday that the promoted team’s performance on the pitch should prompt everybody to examine again their expectation.

“This is an exciting side that is challenging already to play at a higher level,” he said.

“We have a window of opportunity over the next couple of years to cement the position of this football club as the number one in Northwich, but do we want to grab it?”

He repeated his promise to supporters that promotion would not be pursued at any cost.

Witton lost heavily at home to Buxton on Saturday, but still occupy a play-offs place as the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League season approaches its halfway point.

Harris said: “We will not jeopardise this football club’s finances, we’ve been there before and won’t be doing it again.

“But it’s pointless any of us being here if we aren’t ambitious and want to be the best we possibly can.

“To do that, we need help from supporters.”

He said a shortfall left by the Thundersprint moving away from Northwich – Witton have made a four-figure sum in previous years allowing bikers to camp on the pitch – and Macclesfield Town ending an agreement for its youth team to play home games in Wincham, needed to be made up quickly.

If it is not, then he could not rule out more players following striker Ashley Stott to other clubs in order to balance the books.

Harris said: “We’re solvent, but the weekly wage bill is higher than it should be right now.

“There will come a point when we’ll refuse to allow that to continue.”