MICHAEL PEARLMAN SAYS: Terry Butcher is going to need help in lifting the spirits at Rodney Parade

We know the County will be in League Two again next term and we know that Terry Butcher will be the new manager, heck, we even know upwards of four of next season’s playing squad.

But actually, that is all we know. And it is becoming pretty worrying.

The Exiles are currently more mysterious than an Agatha Christie novel, several new directors, a new manager and the return of their chairman, but even that has done absolutely nothing to stymie the relentless reverberation of speculation, met increasingly and predictably with the sound of silence from Rodney Parade.

Which would not necessarily constitute a huge problem, if not for the fact that almost the whole of Newport’s playing squad is out of contract. And seem increasingly frustrated.

The club weren’t happy with Aaron O’Connor hitting out at a lack of communication and indicating that comments about plans for next season had damaged morale. They weren’t happy, but had to acknowledge that the comments came from their match day press conference. The interview was only exclusive to the Argus because no-one else attended the press conference and the club chose to ignore the content of the interview on their official website.

Fast forward to Friday and Darren Jones, my personal choice for County player of the season, tells Argus Sport that he’s yet to hear a word on his future. This is spite of the fact the club said they have briefed Jones, as captain, as to their plans for the coming weeks. Communication breakdown? That’s being generous.

Sadly, the situation with contract talks is seemingly looked bungled and as if the club have either naively assumed everyone they might want to stay is just going to hang around and wait, or worse, that they simply aren’t fussed one way or another as to what the majority of the players plan to do.

We are retreading old ground in stating the bleeding obvious, but this current group of players, so short on goals and quality in attack, still finished ninth in League Two. They are a very good squad in need of tweaking. But one fears a lack of communication is going to lead to a real break-up of the group.

Plenty of other Football League clubs have already announced their complete retained and released lists, but so far all we’ve had from Newport, in terms of senior players, is the news that Kevin Feely is staying. So that’s Feely, Joe Day, Mark Byrne and Yan Klukowski, a less-than-five-a-side team of senior pros supplemented by three or four youth graduates.

My understanding on Feely’s renewal is that it was appearance clause related and in terms of fresh talks on new terms, only Regan Poole out of the established first team squad appears to be in active negotiations.

What of the rest? Ryan Jackson, Darren Jones, Ismail Yakubu, Andy Sandell, Andrew Hughes, Max Porter, Adam Chapman, Robbie Willmott, Mike Flynn, Lee Minshull, Aaron O’Connor, the list goes on. Are these players free to move elsewhere?

County striker Shaun Jeffers has already been involved in a trial match for another club, while speculation is rife in Mansfield that Adam Chapman will return to Field Mill in the coming days or weeks.

We can’t even claim that the players know the score and that they are merely now in the position footballers are in each season. They aren’t. They are in limbo.

First they were told Jimmy Dack was deciding on their futures. Then he wasn’t. Now it is Terry Butcher, but he’s been away and it is unclear how much he’ll have seen of the group. If he judges them by the Oxford clash, they’ll all be off. At least players at other clubs know who is deciding their fates and when they will be decided.

There was a meeting tentatively scheduled for next Monday - that is what we were briefed - between Butcher and the players to discuss plans for next season, but that seemed almost certain to be too late to retain everyone, because agents circle like sharks at this time of year.

Thankfully, Butcher has now returned from his holiday and seems keen for negotiations to begin. Butcher, I might add, has been highly impressive in his early days as County boss. His holiday was booked long before he accepted the Exiles job, but that didn’t stop him cutting it short and coming home to talk with increasingly disgruntled players.

Newport might not be talking to someone like Ryan Jackson, but you can bet there will be plenty of others who will be or will do. All gloves are off now for players whose deals are winding down.

Which is a shame if it means players like Darren Jones feels like the club just aren’t that bothered about them. That is a sad state of affairs for County fans.

The club needs to deliver some news to fans soon, and can’t rely on Butcher being the only source of communication. They pushed Justin Edinburgh towards being a De facto chief executive, and Butcher seems set for the same role. The face of the club. The voice of the club.

News is required because the ill-feeling among players and supporters has coincided with County asking fans to renew their season tickets, as early as possible.

Yet the fans know if the entire squad is allowed to leave, chances are it’ll be a campaign of transition, at best. Plus increased ticket prices?

It’s really not a good recipe.

BEFORE signing off, a word on Les Scadding’s interview with us last week, when he stated he’s “not a jump ship guy.”

Insincere as it may seem after a column criticising the club for their lack of communication, but fair play to Mr Scadding for taking the opportunity to address the fears and the rumours that he has “lost enthusiasm,” for the club.

He spoke openly about his health concerns, his desire to see the club continue to grow and promised supporters he wouldn’t walk away unless it was in the club’s best interests, or in other words, someone else buys him out.

And by telling suitors for the best part of two years that they would welcome investment as they have been doing, County are sure to be looked at in the coming weeks, months or years. If you become established in the Football League, chances are, someone will want to get involved.

And it will be down to the board of directors to ensure that the fans are very much put in the picture if and when any serious interest arises.

I’m aware of some speculation last week that Mr Scadding has been in talks, but he made clear to us there is nothing at all to report from his end. He’s more than earned the right to be taken at his word and not to be constantly second guessed.

But for how much longer that will be the case that he’s got no new news to report, I certainly wouldn’t like to bet.