TONY Mount reckons Newport supporters have missed an ideal chance to show how much the Isle of Wight cares for its ailing football club.

With Port in voluntary receivership, Tuesday's Dr Martens League Cup clash with Salisbury provided an ideal platform for the fans to demonstrate their concern for the club's future - and yet only a paltry 194 turned up.

Mount (pictured left) remains a director of the club and said: "People were looking for the Islanders to get behind their club, but it was a really poor gate. I would have thought there would have been a lot more solidarity shown at such a crucial time.

"I feel so sorry for the loyal supporters and for the people who do the work behind the scenes. This is hurting them really badly.

"I understand there's a lot of frustration and emotion building up, but it doesn't help that people are coming out with all sorts of stupid statements.

"There's been radio talk about a round-the-world yachtsman buying the club but that's absolute rubbish, and a supporters' consortium is not going to come to fruition either, because there's too much money involved."

The receivers, from Southampton-based chartered accountants BDO Stoy Hayward, say it's urgent that interested buyers step forward as quickly as possible.

Weather-providing, this Saturday's home game against St Leonards will go ahead, but the club's position will be reviewed again next week.

BDO's Dermot Coakley stressed: "It is no secret that the club has made losses over recent years and that is something that cannot continue."

Although some interested has been shown in the club, Mount confirmed: "There's been no shining knight galloping in to save Newport and no official bids."

Signicantly, though, he would not rule out the possibility of majority shareholder and chairman Bill Manuel sticking with the club if the training pitch were sold.

It was the collapse of such a deal that prompted Manuel to call in the receivers last week and Mount confirmed: "If that was rekindled then Bill would continue being chairman and run the club."

The receivers can be contacted on 023 8035 6000.