Chairman Chris Blight believes that on and off the field Newport County are the strongest they have been in his five years at the helm and is promising supporters things will get better.

Blight has watched County's season take a phenomenal upturn in fortunes in the past couple of months and is now able to plan for life in the Conference South next season with thoughts of relegation banished.

During a whirlwind season that saw manager John Cornforth dismissed after just eight games, two key first team players jailed, a losing run of ten successive games and the dismissal of three players by the board, at Christmas it seemed the usual County soap-opera was moving towards a disastrous finale of relegation.

However, new manager Peter Beadle has transformed the fortunes of the club on the field and Blight is now looking ahead with real optimism.

Blight on this season:

"It was never acceptable to me to be part of an organisation that got relegated. I have tasted life at the bottom of the Conference South for the past two seasons and I don't like it one bit.

"Things weren't working out with John (Cornforth) and we also had players who we felt weren't strong enough for this club and this level of football. Money has been made available to strengthen the squad and the past ten games have been fantastic, our form has been that of a promotion-chasing team, with a solid spine.

"We have had our fair share of problems this season and have been criticised at times, but we have come out fighting at the end of the day.

"The key objective when Peter was appointed was to stay up and we have achieved that."

Blight on Beadle and Scott Young:

"Our previous two managers (Peter Nicholas and Cornforth) enjoyed glittering playing careers and it was sad for us to see their demise as managers of this football club. They are both good people.

"Without being derogatory to them, we felt we needed someone 'fresher' to lead the players and everyone was impressed by Peter. We felt he had something special about him.

"The team we have now is the team that Peter built and the improvement has been plain for all to see.

"We didn't feel it was a gamble taking on Peter even though he was relatively inexperienced, but we have become more aware as a board and realised Peter couldn't transform things overnight.

"I have great enthusiasm for Peter and Scott Young as a team, they complement each other well and it was apparent Peter needed someone alongside him.

"Scott had a lot of credit with the club, we knew him to be a gentleman from his brief playing career here and at the moment he is the perfect apprentice. You don't learn to become a manager straight away, but he is passing his apprenticeship with flying colours.

"One of our key objectives is to have stability with the management team and we are behind Peter and Scott 100 per cent. We see them as long-term appointees who will both be here throughout next season."

Blight on the current state of Newport County:

"As well as achieving stability in the management and avoiding relegation, I have had two other key objectives.

"The first was financial stability and to this end we are in a better position than we have ever been.

"Look at Hornchurch and you will see that being independent and self-sufficient away from the money of one particular person is crucial to the future of any club.

"We inherited debt and the problem of a lack of funding. This has been attended to by the current board through investment, budgeting and sponsorship and things are looking far better.

"I am also very keen on financial integrity, our playing staff like it here and trust the management and the board.

"This means that we have a squad full of players who are happy here and want to stay, which is exactly what we want."

Blight on....the future:

"I would expect our playing squad to be fairly settled by August. Peter wants to keep the nucleus of his squad and we will help him to do this.

"Supporters should be secure in the knowledge that we will back Peter in adding to the squad. He has brought an excellent calibre of player to the club so far, people like John Brough, Tony Pennock and Craig Hughes.

"Peter is already planning for next season and we will help him. We want to finish in the top ten next season and the way we ended this season makes us believe we could make the play-offs at least, Peter won't bring in players who aren't better than what we already have and we back his judgement .

"As for my future at the club, that is also secure, I can't get enough of the place and the position of chairman is one I take very seriously.

"The board all work very hard and the roots of stability are entrenched now. I could walk away and the club would be fine, but I have no intention of doing so, even though it can be hard at times.

"I am a fighter and I feel I owe Newport. I am Newport through and through and I want to repay the city that has given me so much, personally and in business.

"Our ultimate aim is to take Newport County back into the Football League. The potential at this football club is almost limitless considering where we are in the pyramid at the moment and we will all work hard to make sure better times lay ahead."