News that the consortium aiming to buy Torquay United has assured the National League (formerly the Conference) that the Gulls will be able to fulfill their fixtures for next season will come as a massive relief for all United fans.
Concerns were raised that because of the time of the takeover talks, which came about after Truro City chairman Peter Masters renegeded on a previous deal with former Gulls Chairwoman Thea Bristow - and her advisor Kelvin Thomas, might raise concerns with the league board over United's financial viability ahead of the 2015-16 campaign.
The group, fronted by commercial manager Dean Edwards and including ten local businessmen, will now look to complete their takeover at the beginning of next week.
Once the deal has been completed, the Gulls can hopefully look forward to a brighter future, where the mistakes of the past can be learned from.
Under the previous consortium's ownership of the club, between 2007 and 2015 - during which time Torquay won promotion back to the Football League, the Gulls made losses of over £2million.
Although the increase in expenditure ultimately resulted in success, ie winning promotion from the Conference and reaching the Play-offs twice in 2011 and 2012, poor decisions in the sacking of managers Martin Ling and Alan Knill resulted in hefty pay-offs for both managers. Money that could of been directed at team building instead.
It could be the case in the future that a balance will need to be found between this approach, and the more frugal methods of former chairman Mike Bateson. Whilst being seen as a divisive figure to many, Bateson's approach ensured that the club often made a profit and the threat of Administration was always a distance one.
Despite this, the outgoing consortium still deserve a lot of credit for rebuilding the club following the destruction caused by a brief and disastrious reign of Chris Roberts, during his four-month tenure as chairman.
However, now all future energies of everyone concerned with the club should be generated towards another reconstruction process that is about to start.
