"TIME for change" was the chant from a section of disgruntled supporters on the Hazell Terrace last weekend. Those Newport Gwent Dragons fans will have to settle for what they've been given: the chance of change.

There have been some potentially encouraging developments over the past few days at Rodney Parade but the past few years show that it pays to treat things with a touch of cynicism when it comes to matters in NP19.

We are told that a bright new era is dawning for the Dragons – Newport RFC and the Welsh Rugby Union are willing to give away their shares and there can be "fully independent region" in the east.

Some pretty important barriers to investment have been removed and the starter's gun has been fired for chief executive Stuart Davies to bring fresh blood onto the board.

The move, particularly taking over with a clean slate and without debt, does provide hope and now they can visibly pursue backers… but one fears the Dragons won't enjoy the thrill of the chase.

It is billed as the hunt for 'investment' yet in truth it's a search for someone who wants a bit of a vanity project with deep pockets and no problem with losing what is, by their standards, loose change year on year.

There aren't exactly too many of them knocking around south Wales.

Hopefully the Dragons won't be left desperately pleading "give us your chuffing* money" like Bob Geldof at Live Aid (a misquote as it happens).

Nonetheless, Davies and the directors wouldn't have come this far without a lead or two to pursue while hopefully the Welsh Rugby Union can give a helping hand.

This is going be a tricky task and Dragons bosses will have to be as charming and Mad Men's Don Draper when selling the prospect of owning a sporting club not only doesn't own its ground or training base but needs a huge investment on the playing squad to merely catch up with regional rivals that struggle themselves.

Oh, and they play in the Guinness Pro12 and they can watch their new plaything going up against Treviso on a Sunday afternoon.

Maybe they can sweeten the deal by throwing in a nice fountain pen for the new man or woman to sign the cheques with.

At least there is potential; after more than a decade of bottom-half finished the Dragons team can go into the sales pitch to the sound of Yazz's 'The Only Way is Up' before flinging a brochure containing the Celtic League tables onto the table.

If somebody does want to come in – and what they'd give for another Tony Brown – then they can make themselves a hero. Taulupe Faletau may be heading for the exit but the Dragons do have some bright talent on the books who can prosper with a few good additions.

This is a golden opportunity for Newport Gwent Dragons, and I use the full name because it is a vital part of the process despite the reluctance of some on the current board to address it as a problem.

Chairman Martyn Hazell admitted yesterday that it has been a "mishmash" since 2003 when Gwent Dragons failed and Newport was bolted on.

Get success right and the name won't matter, some say.

I'd argue that the name is a key component to the direction of the organisation, which in turn leads to a business that enables the sporting side to flourish.

Any newcomer(s) will want to come in and get the branding right so that they can maximise the cash coming in, enabling them to either minimise their own contribution or increase the budget for the rugby department. They will also want to get rid of the entourage of the current money men.

Perhaps it's just a case of not wanting to get too excited only to suffer crushing disappointment but one fears that come the start of next season we will be in the same boat: Newport Gwent Dragons will have the same identity issue with the same people desperately trying to pass on the baton.

Hopefully I'm wrong and we will be preparing for a new era.