NEWPORT County AFC honorary president David Hando has called for the club’s supporters to rally around director Howard Greenhaf after Les Scadding’s departure.

Scadding stood down as chairman and director at Rodney Parade yesterday, leaving Greenhaf as the main man on the County board.

Euromillions lottery winner Scadding has invested at least £1.2m of his £45m fortune in the Exiles since becoming chairman in August 2012.

But Hando, who served as chairman of the reformed Newport AFC in the 1990s and acted as interim-chairman before Scadding was appointed, is optimistic about the club’s future.

“It’s always been a fans’ club,” said Hando. “Some fans have got deeper pockets than others but we all do our best in time and effort and money.

“What we’ve got to do is build up the crowd so that the club is sustainable.

“We’ve known all along that Les was not going to be with us forever and that we would have to survive post-Les.

“We need to thank Les for a marvellous job he’s done and wish him well.

“He’s not a well man and no one begrudges him sitting in the sun but it’s up to us now.

“I understand there are talks going on and there might be a replacement.

“Now is the time for anyone to come forward if they are at all interested and help out what I consider to be the rock and that’s Howard Greenhaf.

“The amount of work and time and effort that he’s put in is beyond belief.

“It was he and Chris Blight that got us to Rodney Parade, without which we would never have got back into the Football League.

“He’s doing great work and I hope we all rally behind him.”

Hando says the club has been planning for life after Les for some time.

“I don’t think anyone really thought that Les was going to be with us long-term and the club has been planning for a post-Les situation,” he said.

“The budget was set and the budget and, whether Les goes or not, it’s still there.

“Although, of course, we are hoping for a replacement for Les. There has got to be a chairman and I understand there are talks going on.”

And, speaking to BBC Radio Wales, he urged supporters to work together to help the club.

“There are ten supporters groups now and they’ve got to work together and get behind the board and Terry Butcher and the squad and I’m optimistic for the future,” said Hando.

“The fans are the important people because without the fans there would be no club.

“The important thing is getting everyone working together.”