Newport County's board of directors could be in for a rough ride at tonight's annual general meeting of shareholders.

It has been a turbulent season so far with Peter Nicholas given money to strengthen in the summer, then sacked in September, with new boss John Cornforth coming in before seeing his playing budget slashed by more than 60 per cent after cup disappointments reduced crowds.

The side are now deep in relegation trouble, only goal difference keeping them out of the drop-zone. County supporter-director Colin Everitt said: "I don't think it is going to be too bumpy. It will be a testing AGM because of the season we have had but I see it as an opportunity to be open with the shareholders who have a right to know what is going on.

"The first part will be mostly accounts information and the second part will be a question and answer session, but we know what questions will be asked from the playing budget to the £2 increase in the laundry bill." The big questions the shareholders, which include the Amber Army trustees,the largest shareholding group, are sure to ask tonight are:

l Why has the playing budget been so drastically cut if cup competitions were not included in the projections? Attendances are still the second highest in the division.

l If Peter Nicholas' job was in jeopardy during the summer, why was he given significant sums of money to compete in a new division that was full of uncertainty?

l Why was Nicholas then sacked after just eight games with a brand new team in 12th place?

l Are there any funds for John Cornforth to strengthen the side?

l What does the future now hold for Newport County AFC?

One prominent County shareholder, who did not want to be named, thinks there are big problems that need to be addressed.

"I don't know what is going on," he said. "What we need to know is where has the money gone that was thrown at Peter Nicholas at the start of the season?

"The attendances are still the second highest in the league and we have the social club, lifelines and the County Cash Club all bringing in money, so what is going on?

"The board do a tremendous amount of work and I don't want them to go but they should not have made crazy promises at the start of the season if it meant that we would have to cut it back in January."

He added: "We now desperately need to bring in players who are proven at this level, guys like Matt Rose and Garry Shephard in the past, because the way it looks now, and I hope that I am wrong, is that we are going to be relegated."