MUCH like a soap opera with a 365-day-a-year output, Newport County AFC are apparently incapable of a dull summer.

One would expect the working life of a football journalist or even a football supporter to become a little duller in the period where there isn’t actually any football to discuss, but not so with the Exiles.

For those of you not keeping score, County have managed to cram in a change of manager, almost an entirely new squad and a raft of personnel changes at the club, from the very top with chairman and majority shareholder Les Scadding preparing to sever ties with the club.

However, Scadding is leaving in the right way, looking to cash out on an investment of over £1 million, but not without ensuring first that any deal suits the club and reflects what is in their best interests.

And to that end, there is truly only one desirable outcome, though we still seem to be a fair way off that being a reality. That outcome; is a supporter owned and supporter run Newport County AFC.

Why does that seem so far off? Because it has taken the impending departure of Scadding to reignite the Supporters Trust, to make it something people are even mentioning or interested in again after a big lull for the group.

The fact that the news of the Trust speaking with Scadding had to be endorsed by two separate supporter factions, The County Choir and 100 Club, speaks volumes as to the level of schism we’ve seen in the past couple of years.

When news of the talks broke, the Trust had just over 300 members, hadn’t updated their social media accounts in over a year and if we are brutally honest, had faded badly into the background in terms of being an effective voice of the supporter. What if anything did we hear from them when Justin Edinburgh left? They seemingly played no part at all in identifying Terry Butcher as his successor either.

Pleasingly, that inertia appears to be changing. The news of Mr Scadding’s departure has mobilised supporters, with ex-players and managers like Dean Holdsworth and Sam Foley, Newport MP Jessica Morden and the rap ground Goldie Lookin Chain the latest high profile people to sign up for the Trust, whose number has nearly doubled in a week.

The goodwill is going to be a considerable help, but the club have been far too fractured off the field for far too long for a quick takeover to be even remotely viable.

Talk of the Supporters Trust being in power by perhaps the start of the new campaign seems wildly optimistic at best and flat out naive at worse, because what is needed is a root and branch reform of the group and of the backroom structure of the club.

County currently have one director being held accountable for absolutely everything – and receiving far more criticism than is reasonable - in Howard Greenhaf and enough non-executive directors to start a non-executive male voice choir.

The will seems to exist from the Trust to reform and look to essentially reboot the organisation – with an open meeting planned for July – but the most important thing is ensuring that all the supporter groups come together as one with a clear vision for how to run at sustainable County.

This isn’t a process that can take an indefinite amount of time, Mr Scadding has every right to sell his shares to whoever offers him the most money, if he so chooses.

That he’s said to favour a deal with the Trust speaks volumes of him – more on that in a moment – but he can’t be expected to wait indefinitely while factions rebuild splintered relationships.

Just look at Northampton Town, who are set to be taken over by a consortium of businessmen from India. The desire exists to own a football club even at League Two level from business groups, who may or may not have the best interests of the club in mind.

This group could be the golden ticket for the Cobblers, but I can guarantee you they will have some extremely concerned fans after some of the takeovers we’ve seen in recent years. Ask Birmingham City fans or Portsmouth fans how they feel about mysterious investment from abroad.

My understanding is that Mr Scadding has talked to various parties over the past few months and it to his vast credit that he genuinely wants what is best for County, and always has done.

It should go without saying that he more than anyone was responsible for the Exiles’ ascension to the Football League – his backing of manager Justin Edinburgh was always absolute – and he deserves nothing but thanks and gratitude.

I don’t think he’d change a thing as pertains to his investment and involvement – it’s almost surreal to think that I first met Les at a Gwent Senior Cup match when no-one bar Chris Blight and Howard Greenhaf even knew who he was in a sparse crowd at Spytty Park – and I hope and believe he’ll cherish the memories of two trips to Wembley forever more.

It is time for a new direction at Newport County, a sustainable and inclusive regime that makes supporters the key component, a set-up that will ensure every fan has a voice and investment in the club is inclusive and democratic.

But it’s going to be a long road to get there.