FORMER Newport County AFC chairman Chris Blight has paid tribute to his successor Les Scadding’s achievements but insisted that the club will continue to thrive after his departure.

Euromillions lottery winner Scadding, aged 58, announced this morning that he was stepping down as chairman and director with immediate effect after three years in the role.

Blight, who was chairman up until July 2012, returned to the club as a non-executive director in January this year.

He was at the board meeting last night when Scadding informed the directors of his decision and Blight says the news did not come as a great shock.

“I’d like to put on record that Les’ financial support is the reason the club is back in the Football League,” said Blight.

“He’s put in £1.2m over three years and that is wonderful and he should receive every accolade for that.

“But it doesn’t last forever. Les approaching his 60s and he wants to enjoy his retirement in Barbados.

“It’s not really a big surprise,” he added. “People come and go at every football club.

“These things happen and we need to brush it off and get on with it.

“The club needs to move on and be run under its own budget.

“Of course the fans will be worried but there are plenty of clubs out there who haven’t had investment like this and done well.

“From 2002, when I first got involved, to 2015 the club has risen from the Dr Martins League to the Football League so something was right.

“We didn’t go bust under me and we haven’t gone bust under Les and we’re not one of these clubs that owes millions.

“Every club has cash-flow situations that they would rather not have but I think we are bottom of the league in terms of money owed.”

Blight says he has no concerns about money owed to Scadding and has urged the club’s supporters to come together to ensure that the club continues the progress made in recent years.

“My message to the fans is don’t panic and get behind the team and everyone at the club. We need your support now,” he said.

“We need you to back us to generate the income required to pay for all the day to day costs of running a football club.

“It happens and no individual is bigger than the club.

“But everyone will pull together and do what is necessary.

“I had Les in my car going to games with me four and a half years ago,” he added.

“It was everyone’s dream to have a lottery winner on board and it happened.

“The money he has invested is fantastic. Les has been very generous and, as far as I’m aware, there is no debt owed to him.

“He has taken shares and the last thing he’d want would be any liabilities to cause the club problems.

“I’ve never known anyone since I’ve been involved to threaten the future of the club and we have a team of people in place to keep things going.”