NEWPORT County’s Supporters’ Trust are promising fans a full break down of their target to take permanent control of the club after reducing the sum by £30,000.

The Trust have indicated they will produce their first weekly update today as they bid to raise £195,000 by the end of the month to complete their takeover of the club.

If they raise the total by the end of September, owner Les Scadding and former directors Howard Greenhaf and Matt Southall have vowed to gift their shares to the Trust, allowing them a majority stake-holding.

The Exiles were boosted this week by the sale of Regan Poole to Manchester United for an undisclosed fee. The Argus understands the Exiles negotiated to have £100,000 paid up front and are now in a position to allow Terry Butcher to improve his squad.

Butcher’s wage budget was slashed by 45% this term and he’ll retain a percentage of the Poole windfall and will also be able to supplement his squad thanks to the departure of defender Kevin Feely. As his contract was cancelled by mutual consent, the Exiles avoided the need for a big pay-off.

“You lose two players like that and you’ve got to fill the gap,” Butcher explained to the Argus.

“But we’ve got a bit of money and hopefully we can get some more loan players in when the emergency loan situation opens up in a week’s time.

“We’re not done yet in terms of bringing players in,” he added.

“We probably need to get at least another one centre-half in because that is a position where we have lost two now.

“I might get a little bit of that money but we still have some in the budget because Kevin Feely leaving means we had a bit left in the pot to work with.

“We’ve done that already with Matt (Partridge, signed on deadline day after leaving Dagenham) and we’ve still got a little bit more as well.”

The Trust were keen to make clear that the money received for Poole is ‘club money’ as opposed to being pocketed by majority owner Les Scadding and will provide more details in a breakdown today.

“Following yesterday’s news that the club had negotiated an excellent deal with Manchester United for the transfer of Regan Poole the Trust are delighted to announce that its target is reduced from 225k to a new target of 195k,” the Trust wrote on their website.

“As widely reported the club will receive a down payment for the player. The club have informed us that any immediate funds will be apportioned between the playing budget and working capital. As a result the Trust board have agreed to reduce its share target to reflect this position.

“The Trust would like to put on record its thanks to Jason Turner for his handling of the transfer in such a professional manner and as a result contributing greatly to the well-being of the club. It would also like to acknowledge the excellent work of the Smile Council in support of the academy. Without that support this deal would not have been possible.

“In addition our thanks and sincere best wishes go to Regan and his family for the future.

“We will be issuing a statement tomorrow on the current total and intend to do so each Thursday.”