WHEN a team has suffered seven home losses in a calendar year yet can still attract 5,057 on a cold October night it suggests their supporters are one of their biggest assets.

Attendances in Welsh regional rugby are a constant source of derision when compared to those that flock to watch the international side, even if the clientele is slightly different.

Newport Gwent Dragons’ average gate of the four regions is the lowest yet it’s not that bad an effort considering the fare that has traditionally been served up.

The Dragons have been the lowest ranked Welsh side in six of nine seasons and have been in the bottom half of the Celtic league seven times.

Despite all that they have a hardcore of around 4,000 to 5,000, as was proved by the crowd in the last home game against Ulster last month – but that loyal support is being tested to the limit.

It has been a shocking start to the season and when Northampton visit Newport in the LV= Cup a week on Sunday there will be few tipping a home win.

Defeats have sucked the enthusiasm out of the Rodney Parade faithful; the comments on the Argus website following the Glasgow debacle are evidence of that.

Fans are disillusioned, frustrated and angry.

That should be cause for concern given that the Dragons’ business plan will be reliant on good ticket sales for the current campaign and season ticket renewals for the next, preferably early renewals.

Last summer former owner Tony Brown wrote an open letter asking supporters to continue to back the region.

He’d better get his fountain pen out again because after the last few months it’s going to take a lot to convince the punters to part with the hard-earned cash.

The supporters are weary, they are fed up with the excuses and they are no longer going to just hand over their cash and grimly accept what’s served up.

They’ve previously been asked to dig deep with the promises that the cash will fund overseas stars. No longer will they respond to such requests; they’ve been burnt too many times.

While the whole of Welsh rugby ponders the best way forward financially, the Dragons are facing a critical period.

And it’s a time when they need to engage with their fanbase.

People are used to having their say – school pupils even get to interview potential headmasters – and it should be no different at Rodney Parade.

I’m not saying that the Dragons supporters should be calling the shots, the odd baffling shout from the terrace or madcap website comment is evidence of that being a route to disaster!

However, it would be nice to engage them in decisions and keep them in the loop.

When things are going wrong there is the temptation to close ranks, yet openness is the key.

The Dragons supporters are an asset that the players are swift to praise when they loudly back them to derby wins.

But if they are allowed to drift off and attendances slide then you really do fear for the future of professional rugby in Gwent.