NEWPORT County director Howard Greenhaf talks to Michael Pearlman.

What’s the situation with Jimmy Dack? I think I am like most fans in that I expect him to leave the club at the end of the season. Are we right or wrong?

“I wouldn’t agree that he’s definitely going to go, no. But I think it’s fair to say it’s a situation we are looking at, though we are mindful of the need to plan properly for the future, while also not distracting this group of players from the task of trying to get promoted.

“We have had lots and lots of applicants to be manager of Newport County and in the next couple of weeks I will speak with Jimmy to see if he wants to be on the shortlist of candidates.

“At this time, I have no idea if Jimmy wants to be considered beyond this season or not and put his hat in the ring.

“The money we got in compensation for Justin will be paid in instalments and we didn’t want or expect to lose him and it was a big blow and we felt getting Jimmy represented the best chance of some continuity.

“Jimmy has stepped into the breach and can be very proud of himself because he’s had some delicate situations to deal with, like Chris Zebroski’s situation and Rene Howe’s wife being ill as well as the football side of it.

“It is very difficult to balance the situation with appointing a new manager, as we don’t want to burst the bubble with what is going on now, we are just outside the play-offs and want the players focused on that.

“But ideally, if Jimmy isn’t staying, you’d like the new manager to get to assess the current playing squad.

“But most of the players being out of contract is definitely a good thing.”

I’m going to stop you there. I know exactly what you mean, but you need to clarify these comments because they’ve been wildly misconstrued as you saying the club is happy to get rid of the whole squad this summer and start from scratch...

“And that isn’t what I meant. The quote actually came from Justin Edinburgh saying it to me and he was right. What I’m saying is; we have a group that are nearly all out of contract so they need to be busting a gut or running through brick walls to try and earn a deal for next year, here or somewhere else.

“We have very few players who are secure on two-year deals and know they are assured of staying next season who can take it easy and put their feet up. And from speaking to Jimmy, we envisage that most of the boys do want to be here, because so many of them have put down roots in Newport.”

But if you push for the play-offs and don’t appoint a new manager before the end of the season, who will decide who you do and don’t offer deals to in the meantime?

“Jimmy Dack will decide. And that has been made clear to the players. They need to be impressing their current manager.”

Do you know any of the players you want to keep already?

“Yes.”

And will you open talks with them now, or have you already done so?

“Each case is different and we don’t want to be putting other noses out of joint with player X asking why player Y has already been offered something and he hasn’t, but we expect talks in the next few weeks with some players, yes.”

What is the situation with Regan Poole?

“We turned down £30,000 from Fulham in January and we were advised by the agent in the deal that we couldn’t possibly do better. And last week we turned down a deal for double that figure. Regan has been offered a professional contract here and we are talking with his parents.

“But it is our hope we will have three or four academy graduates in our first team squad next season, including Regan.”

Do you feel you get enough credit for what you do right, as opposed to what you are perceived to get wrong?

“We can’t be expecting a pat on the back for a lot of things behind the scenes, because honestly we haven’t done a good enough job publicising when we get things right.

“I think there are certain aspects that speak for themselves, like having a permanent training base in Newport and future plans for a bigger identity in the city.

“But we have also done a lot with community work, we have four full-time employees now doing that and have just got a second mini-bus for the work we are doing in schools, which is vital, because it’s about turning the next generation of fan onto Newport County.

“We hope we are going to really be able to boast about the success of our academy in the coming weeks, but we are currently going through our EPPP audit where everything is being assessed.

“We have also done a lot of work to Rodney Parade, a new pitch, new floodlights, a new stand and relations between us and the other parties at Rodney Parade is as good as it has been.

“In the next week we are meeting with both Mark (Jones, head of operations at Rodney Parade) and Stuart Davies (Dragons chief executive) and we expect to have news on new offices at Rodney Parade shortly.

“We are also pleased to have set up the supporter partnership, with all the supporter factions meeting more regularly with directors of the club.

“We look at a club like Wimbledon who are nine points behind us, but they are delighted because they were aiming for a top half finish and sustainability and then look at us with fans telling us to quit, but it’s part and parcel of running a football club, unfortunately.

“I know with Les being away so often I am the one who is there to be shot at and criticised, but I don’t want to be chairman and never have done.

“I’m a Newport County fan trying to do my best to help this club become sustainable in the Football League, a permanent fixture in it. I have put my own money in and a lot of hours, but I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t enjoy it.

“And we could yet end this season by returning to Wembley. Which would obviously be fantastic. We want to walk before we can run, but we’d be absolutely delighted to go up to League One. No-one should be in any doubt about that.”