Despite an outstanding debut campaign in the Premier Division, which has seen Garstang challenging for the title, the club do not currently meet the entry criteria needed to play at the next level up, the North West Counties League.
They will therefore be forced to continue playing in the West Lancashire Premier Division until they can improve facilities at their Riverside ground, something that is not guaranteed to happen in the near future.
Garstang first-team assistant coach Scott Somerside, said: ''We're not ready for that as a club. There's a lot of criteria to meet. We're just focusing on coaching and the football, and the remaining games we have left.
''I can understand why they have the criteria, but at the moment the North West Counties League doesn't even have enough teams.''
Currently, teams must gain a category G ground rating from the FA to play at step six of the National League System. The criteria includes enclosing the ground off, having floodlights, car parking facilities, a barrier around the pitch and a covered spectator area which can house 100 people and has seating for 50.
The ground improvements are not the only potential stumbling block for Garstang.
Somerside explained: ''The council currently own the ground, although we are in the process of purchasing it, and there is a public right of way going right across the middle of the pitch so putting up barriers and enclosing the ground would block this.
''Also, any improvement to the ground would have to be approved by everyone at the sports and social club - the cricket club, rugby club, canoe club and tennis club, not just the football club.''
Lowering
But there is hope for Garstang. The North West Counties League recently contacted its member clubs to canvas opinion about lowering the minimum ground requirements for entry to the league to make it easier for clubs to make the step up.
The feedback so far has indicated there could be some changes. North West Counties League secretary, John Deal, said: ''It is important to bear in mind that we may have no choice with regard to the ground grading standards because ultimately it's the FA's decision.
''The general opinion amongst our members is that there could be a relaxation on certain criteria but not on floodlighting, as it is essential due to the distances being travelled in the league.''
The current suggestion to relax the minimum requirements comes as the North West Counties second division continues to suffer from a shortage of teams, with only four clubs from the six feeder leagues applying for entry this year.
The shortage has even meant that teams do not even need to win promotion to enter the league, but can be promoted if they apply and meet the required ground standards - a situation Scott Somerside believes undermines the system.
He said: ''It's disappointing because you don't even have to win the league to go up, it's purely based on the entry criteria. Teams can go up and they might have the ground and the funding, but they then can't maintain a decent side at that level. It makes a mockery of the league pyramid.''
The issue is highlighted in the case of Kirkham and Wesham FC, which despite winning the West Lancashire League four times in a row, had to wait until this season to make the jump to the North West Counties League after investing over £150,000 in ground improvements. The club are now battling for promotion to the Premier Division of the league, and are preparing for an FA Vase final at Wembley.
But despite the apparent flaws in the current system, John Deal believes that it is unfair to lay the entire blame on the North West Counties League.
He said: ''There is the possibility of a lower placed team being promoted, with the winners of the league not, but you have to ask the question whether these leagues are pushing their teams to improve the facilities in the way we do.''