Much has been said about those in the corridors of power at Newport County AFC in recent weeks and months, but there can be little doubt that one man has helped the club immeasurably, to the point his place in history should already be assured.

That man is County’s chief executive Jason Turner. Arguably the most vital and imperative appointment the club have made in the past decade and the reason Exiles fans should feel genuinely confident that the days of risk taking are long gone.

The man who should ensure any future windfalls – like for example, a run in the FA Cup – are building blocks, rather than temporary sanctuary, the man who should ensure Newport will never be bitten on the bum again by a rogue contract or a disgruntled player.

Turner has survived the toughest examination he possibly could have in a football sense and has negotiated County through some extremely murky waters in 2015, and it is about time he was applauded for doing so. He was Howard Greenhaf’s best ever idea.

Because in less capable hands, I dread to think where Newport might be, right now.

It’s an appropriate time to assess the complete picture, because we now know the FA Cup isn’t going to provide a £1 million fix-it solution. Drawing Blackburn at home will lead to a good gate and possible TV coverage, but Newport will need to advance to round five for the money to become life changing.

However, that’s not to diminish the achievement of reaching the third round.

And on the top of a ten game unbeaten run, manager Sheridan deserves fantastic praise for the job he’s doing at Rodney Parade.

I first heard of the interest in Sheridan mere minutes after Terry Butcher’s sacking had been confirmed, and my views on the potential for success were mixed.

Sheridan unquestionably had the right pedigree, and he was diametrically opposed to Butcher in the sense that none of his successes needed qualifying. Eg: “Terry Butcher did a great job with Inverness Caledonian Thistle, though his CV is a mixed bag.” That’s looking for a reason to be optimistic. Yes, I know I wrote those exact words. But I’ve never been in the business of writing someone off without giving them so much as a chance.

However, Sheridan, on paper, ticked the right boxes for success in League Two. He’s done it before, he’s been doing it as recently as last season, he’s also enjoyed a good management career in League One. He’s never really failed as a manager, regardless of the club, regardless of the circumstances.

However, a journalist doesn’t just think like a supporter, they also factor in working relationships and rapport, and Butcher was a magnificent orator. All indications from our colleagues in Plymouth – I asked them during the Exiles’ defeat there in August – was that Sheridan was the opposite, a dour and insular manager who wouldn’t deliver pearls of wisdom as a boss like he did pearls of passes as a player.

Sheridan is at Rodney Parade for the simple reason that he is known to Jason Turner from their time spent together at Plymouth. He was the chief executive’s first major piece of business. That’s quite a way to start.

My understanding is that the manner of the 3-0 reverse to Crawley Town convinced the Supporters’ Trust they simply had to axe Butcher, feeling that a chance to change the atmosphere surrounding the club was being relinquished by the performance of the team. It’s a tough point to argue.

But it was Turner who secured the replacement and in my view it is Turner that has bridged the divide between the old board and the new, who has kept things professional and prudent for the club in a time of great uncertainty.

I know the perception of some is that I was too kind to the last board and am too harsh about this one, but it’s really more about realising you can’t have your cake and eat it too.

Did Howard Greenhaf and Les Scadding run Newport County AFC like a business, making always prudent decisions, to the club’s financial benefit? Absolutely not.

Having seen the figures, we can now even pinpoint certain mistakes (with the benefit of hindsight). Should Newport have signed Joe Day? No. He’s a good goalkeeper, but it was an expensive deal and the manager signing him was leaving anyway.

Should Newport have signed Rene Howe? Absolutely not. They had enough forwards to not score goals. But it’s always easy after the fact. At the time, they thought they were doing the right thing in rarely saying no to Justin Edinburgh.

They made costly mistakes and did so under the misapprehension that “Les would sort it.” Eventually, Les decided he didn’t want to sort it anymore.

And I can’t get on board with the “why are we paying back Scadding and Greenhaf for making mistakes,” line of thinking, we can’t think black and white when there are more than fifty shades of grey.

Mr Scadding sunk over £1.5 million into the club and from his share of the cash won on the lottery, that’s somewhere north of 5% of what he won. It could have gone to charity, or to family members, but it went on helping the Exiles into the Football League.

It was a shame Mr Scadding abruptly did indeed prove to be “a jump ship guy,” and totally lost interest, but it’s great he only called in directors’ loans. Not a stick to beat him with. His cash helped the club live the dream.

Mr Greenhaf gets it even worse. He was misguided in his plan of always relying on Les for sure, but he did stellar work to cover for him for much of early 2015. It’s thanks to Greenhaf that Newport didn’t end up in administration (and yes, he of course takes partial blame for the way the club was being run). But he never quit, he never stopped working for the club.

It didn’t help, PR-wise, that Scadding and Greenhaf’s parting gift to the Amber Army was the disaster contract, with no break clause, dished out to Butcher. You can guarantee such a thing won’t happen on Turner’s watch.

Turner took charge at a time when the club was leaking money, had no income and was about to see a total change in leadership and ownership – with the change coming by means of a coup on the day of the Wolves game in the Capital One Cup – and must have wondered what on earth he’d signed up for.

Yet he quietly kept all parties happy enough, as he’s managed to do in leading the clubs’ negotiations with the League Managers’ Association on Butcher’s pay-out and that of his staff.

It seems ridiculous the club has operated in the past without a dedicated CEO and it is certainly a folly on my part for not pointing that out earlier. For accepting that Les’ lottery winnings were the answer to any financial questions.

Because what’s the alternative? We see it directly, as the reason Darren Jones is not still at the club.

The alternative to financial prudence, to employing people like Jason Turner to always think about tomorrow, is being Forest Green Rovers.

A small club, in a small stadium, with a relatively small fan base (you are massive by comparison, even at 2,500) with debts of over £5 million and a total reliance on one rich person.

Huge wages and grand plans, but no expertise in how to execute them.

Much has been said about this reporter giving the Supporters’ Trust “a hard time,” but that’s not my take on it.

They haven’t taken control with a lottery winners’ chequebook and there is no sense of mystery about the size of the job in hand. We know County’s finances are really stretched.

With a clearer picture of what they are facing, it’s been easier to make informed judgements on things.

I maintain that the way they came into power was highly regrettable and I still believe they should have sought more advice about the size of the pay-offs before sacking the clubs’ management team after a few hours (though I don’t question it was the right move to make). It would have also potentially allowed for elections to be held earlier.

However, for those who have been paying attention, I’ve also written time and again that I absolutely believe the Trust is the right option for the club, to the point that I am myself a member.

An elected board and a CEO with expertise and experience is a winning combination and after so much uncertainty, it really does feel like a very special time to be a Newport County supporter, especially with Turner well-supported by Lewis Richards, James Watts and James Hayhoe and an army of volunteers.

The future is whatever you make it.