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It is ten days since the club were handed a nine-point deduction from last season’s points total and fined £3,500 for “multiple breaches” of financial regulations.

However, the most severe punishment saw the Heed denied a licence to compete in next season’s National League.

Since that announcement, a supporter-led consortium has officially taken control of the club after agreeing a takeover deal with former owner Dr Ranjan Varghese and his financial advisor Joseph Cala.

The consortium is fronted by Neil Pinkerton and Trevor Clark – who were both officially named as directors on the club’s Companies House file on Monday morning.

Gateshead Soul Supporters Association are also one of six shareholders in the club, along with former Rochdale chairman Chris Dunphy and Dale board member Bill Goodwin.

The club also officially received notification that their written appeal has been received by the Football Association and all eyes now turn towards the outcome.

The new owners have been working hard to satisfy the requirements of the league and are understood to have agreed a ten-year lease on the International Stadium with Gateshead Council.

A business plan and playing budget has put together by former general manager Alisha Henry and they will need to be officially submitted over the coming weeks – although how they are put together will depend on the outcome of the club’s appeal against the sanctions.

Plans are in place to clear the club’s outstanding debt – which played a significant part in the sanctions placed against them.

A decision on the appeal should be imminent with the league’s AGM taking place later this week, and the club will have a clearer idea of what steps they need to take on and off the pitch over the coming weeks.

If an appeal is unsuccessful, Gateshead will be relegated into a lower division within the non-league pyramid.

Regardless of the outcome, the town will still have a football club next season – something that has been in serious doubt over the last six weeks.

That news has been welcomed by Gateshead’s only remaining contracted player.

Captain Scott Barrow is now in the last month of his existing deal with the club, and he admitted that his own future is still uncertain.

However, he hailed the efforts of the supporters in ensuring that the threat of liquidation has been avoided.

He told The Echo “The takeover is a positive thing for everyone.

“It was a tough season for the lads and for me, and the off-field stuff didn’t help at all.

“Nothing could break the bond between the fans and the players from last year – we didn’t take any rubbish from anyone.

“The fans have got their club back and the previous owners have gone.

“There is a long way to go, but it’s a positive for the club.

“In regard to my future, I don’t know.

“I just want to enjoy my holidays and then we will see what happens.”

The Echo also understands that a number of last season’s squad are ready to commit to the cause for the new season – although they are waiting on the outcome of today’s appeal.