IT’S been anything but a merry Christmas for Newport County AFC fans who have endured another dreadful week at the end of another desperately disappointing year.

First the dream of an FA Cup third-round trip to Anfield to take on Premier League giants Liverpool was snatched away in extra-time by Plymouth Argyle.

Then on Boxing Day the Rodney Parade faithful saw what should have been a morale-boosting victory over Portsmouth turn into another crushing defeat to ensure that their side will end 2016 at the bottom of the pile in League Two.

Whatever happens against Exeter City on New Year’s Eve, the Exiles will stumble into 2017 with a huge hangover that will take more than a fry-up and a six-pack of Lucozade to shift.

It’s becoming increasingly clear that the next month will be pivotal to County’s hopes of beating the drop.

The January transfer window is an opportunity for manager Graham Westley to perform the surgery on the squad that will, in all probability, be the difference between staying up and going down.

It’s make or break time because, as has been reiterated many times, the club simply cannot afford to go down.

“This is a time for confidence, courage and support if we are to avoid what we all dread,” wrote chairman of the owners’ board Malcolm Temple in his From the Boardroom column in the Boxing Day programme.

“I read discussions debating what the board’s ‘tactics’ must be.

“If we think in those terms (some mention gamble) then I can assure it is to avoid the drop at any price.

“We cannot and will not go down.”

That line – “at any price” – suggests that there will be money available for Westley to strengthen.

And, despite fanciful talk of moving towards the play-off places during the seven-game unbeaten run from late October to mid-November, the current run of seven games without a win and five successive defeats in the league has highlighted the need for fresh blood.

When he took over from Warren Feeney in October, Westley said he hoped that he would not need to sign anyone in January.

“We need to come together,” said the 48-year-old, who previously led Stevenage from the Conference to League One in successive seasons.

“We’re going to have to work together in the next three months.

“I hope that nobody leaves in January and nobody arrives in January.

“I hope that this group of people can come together, find a winning way and produce a formula that gives the fans what they want, which is a winning football team.”

Those words were almost certainly aimed at boosting the confidence of the players he inherited.

But now the manager is making no secret of the need to bring in reinforcements.

And it doesn’t take a genius to work out where the team needs strengthening.

Westley will almost certainly look to bring in at least one experienced centre-back and two or three strikers and it’s likely that he’ll also want another defensive midfielder and two new full-backs if possible.

To make room for the new arrivals he’ll need to trim the squad and there are a number of players who have found game-time hard to come by in recent weeks.

The likes of Dan Butler, Paul Bignot, Jack Compton, Mark Randall and Jack Jebb could be made available if the right offer comes along and it would be no great surprise if Abdoulaye Meite moved on.

Westley may also want to add new loan players and that could mean that Jordan Green and Kyle Cameron return to their parent clubs.

Rhys Healey will be heading back to Cardiff City and it’s highly unlikely that we’ll see him back in a County shirt with Bluebirds boss Neil Warnock apparently keen to have a look at a striker with lots of promise.

And, if he’s judged to be not ready for the Championship, the odds are that Healey will be on his way to Plymouth or Carlisle United – or another club higher up the pyramid.

That will be a big blow for the Exiles but you can’t blame Cardiff or Warnock if they want their asset to play at the best possible level to aid his development.

Westley will undoubtedly be keen to hang on to Josh Sheehan – especially after his welcome return to form against Portsmouth.

If Swansea City opt to recall the Wales under-21 midfielder it will only add to his shopping list.

With that lucrative trip to Anfield no longer on the horizon to boost the coffers and concerns over the financial impact of lower than anticipated crowds and various postponements and abandonments there will not be much cash for Westley to play with.

Temple revealed that the low attendance rates and pitch problems have so far cost the club around £100,000 this season.

But relegation, which will see crowds fall further, would be even more costly so the board know that they have to give Westley everything they can to preserve that hard-earned Football League status.