91Èȱ¬

Chris Blight has announced that he is to step down as chairman and director of Newport County after 10 years.

Blight has hinted that abuse directed at him by some disgruntled fans may have been a factor.

"It is with a heavy heart that I have decided to stand down, as chairman and also as a director," Blight said.

"Recent events within our club have brought issues into the arena of our local media and fan forums - some favourable, and some to the contrary."

Blight has reportedly received abusive telephone calls both on his mobile and at home from individuals, unhappy at suggestions that he had blocked potential new investment in the Blue Square Bet Premier club.

Blight, a Newport estate agent, has overseen County's promotion to the Conference and their move from the council-owned Spytty Park home to groundshare with the city's rugby teams at Rodney Parade.

"At the same time, I will have to stand down from my position as a director on the board of the Football Conference," said Blight in a statement.

"My departure will offer the opportunity for a new chairman to be found and appointed, in the superb new surroundings of Rodney Parade.

"Like many other club chairmen up and down the country, I have to accept 'the rough with the smooth', and after nearly 10 years of involvement with this club, I think that I have had a good measure of both ends of that spectrum."

"I would like to sincerely thank everyone that has had a role to play in my time with the club, including all of the hard-working volunteers upon whom we have relied for so long."