THE Newport County AFC soap opera shows no signs of running out of steam this week with the departure of a much-loved character and the long-rumoured return of a familiar face from the past.

History tells us that it’s very difficult to keep anything secret for long where County are concerned and so it proved with these latest plot developments.

News of Jason Turner’s decision to resign from his role as chief executive began to leak out at the start of last week.

But Turner is a man who is not comfortable under the media spotlight and all enquiries to him and to the club were rebuffed or ignored.

He will want to slip out through the Rodney Parade gates as quietly as possible and, as such, it was no surprise to see the club confirm his departure by publishing a short statement on their website at 2.45pm on Saturday.

That was, if anyone needs reminding, just 15 minutes before Warren Feeney’s men kicked off a vital League Two relegation battle against Dagenham & Redbridge.

It was a classic case of burying bad news and appears to have had the desired effect as far as the club is concerned.

By releasing the news just before a match, rather than on Sunday or Monday, they ensured that fans and the media had their minds on other matters and the impact was minimised.

But, make no mistake, this is a big blow for the club and the interim board.

Turner will help with the transition period and is likely to remain at the club until the end of February but he will leave big shoes to fill.

Not only did he guide the club through a tumultuous summer, which culminated in the Supporters Trust takeover at the end of September, he also played a huge part in bringing his good friend John Sheridan to the club.

That move was hailed as a masterstroke by director Gavin Foxall and it was the chief executive who stepped in to defuse a potentially explosive situation between Sheridan and the ground staff earlier this month.

Turner has been a steadying hand and an experienced head in an ever-changing environment since he joined the club last June.

Not one person I’ve spoken to has had a bad word to say about him and all are sad to see him go.

The club statement talked of “reviewing the structure before making any appointment” and in the situation the club finds itself at the moment it is important that they get the right man or woman for the job rather than rushing into anything.

But, as the previous regime found last year when Dave Boddy left, you need someone to steer the ship sooner rather than later.

The return of defender Darren Jones, confirmed by the club last night, has proved a divisive subject with the fans commenting on our website since we broke the news on Saturday night.

I really don’t see why anyone who watched the team concede twice in the opening six minutes against Dagenham wouldn’t welcome the former skipper back with open arms.

I don’t know the ins and outs of what has gone wrong for him at Forest Green but the argument that he’s not good enough for the Conference so why should a League Two club want him doesn’t wash with me.

Jones seems to have fallen out of favour with Ady Pennock at the New Lawn but he looks to me, and to Warren Feeney, to be exactly what the Exiles need at the moment.

He was voted player of the year by Argus readers after making more than 40 appearances in League Two and was without a doubt the best defender at the club.

With Matt Taylor seemingly not trusted to step in, Jones looks to me like a perfect fit to add some much needed experience to the Exiles back line.

He can help guide the likes of Matt Partridge, Andrew Hughes and Janoi Donacien through a relegation battle.

A lot of supporters were angry at the manner of his departure last summer but it’s hard to see what he did wrong.

Jones was offered a new deal by Terry Butcher but declined that in favour of a pay rise at Forest Green, feeling undervalued and under-appreciated by his hometown club.

County were cash-strapped at the time and Butcher was putting together a whole new squad on a shoestring budget compared to his predecessor.

But now the circumstances have changed for the club and for the player and this is a move that, in my view, makes sense for all parties.

I may be proved wrong in time but I for one will be glad to see Jones back at the heart of the County defence at Leyton Orient tonight and I’m confident he can help this young squad retain their place in the Football League.