TO say this week has resembled a soap opera would be a bit of an understatement. Statements, accusations, abuse, scandal; I watch Emmerdale to get my usual fill of all this but low and behold it’s been playing out in front of our very eyes.

When I think about this whole situation, I can’t help but think it is a pretty minor drama when compared to other events during my time supporting Darlo and yet I still can’t get it out of my head that this seems to contain the potential to make or break the club. Everything feels so very serious. While I am very disappointed by what has happened, this really should be threatening the future of the football club and yet here we are.

For me, everything seems to be hanging on this Friday’s fans’ forum. We’ll (hopefully) find out exactly what went on. We’ll (hopefully) find out who’s left to run the club. We’ll (hopefully) find out whether Martin Gray still has the appetite to pour his heart and soul in to the club. More importantly, we’ll find out what we as fans can do to ensure this issue doesn’t happen again. Whoever is left on Saturday morning, we need to come together and make sure that as a club, we move forward, stronger for this episode.

I can imagine that the coaching staff and players are hurting at the moment although you wouldn’t have read that from the two performances over the Easter weekend. Saturday’s showing at Alfreton was excellent. After the opening exchanges, we bullied a team who effectively rolled over and asked us to tickle their belly. Other teams have done that this season and we haven’t always obliged but on Saturday, we took full advantage. In the end, I suspect Alfreton were pretty grateful that we only put three goals past them.

Meanwhile, Easter Monday saw another good performance as we put four goals past FC United of Manchester. It was a little disappointing when we eased off a little after 30 minutes but our overall play was what we wanted to see. In both games, the players looked eager and determined to prove a point and that’s exactly what they did.

I’ve got to be honest and say I was worried at how dejected Martin Gray looked at the end of the Alfreton game. He looked a defeated man. Hopefully, it was just an initial reaction to last week’s events. Whilst we have struggled for stability in the boardroom during the last five years, Gray has provided unerring stability on the pitch, not to mention building the footballing infrastructure required for the club to operate at this level. Hopefully, this will prove to be just a minor setback for him.

It was great to see the players received so much positive support over the two games. I wasn’t too sure how many would venture down to Alfreton given what had gone on before it but we travelled in very respectable numbers. I’d like to think the level of support played a part in the longer than usual appreciative clap at the end of the game between the players and the fans. Meanwhile, the support and atmosphere at Blackwell Meadows on Monday was phenomenal. Hopefully, that will have reminded everyone we’re all in this together and that we’re all working towards the same goal – to prevent Salford City from making the playoffs!

Hopefully, the fans’ forum will be cordial and constructive. More importantly, I hope we can all leave feeling a bit more positive about where the club is going – the fans, the management, the coaching staff and the players.