Dowie commented, “It was positive – we know finances are difficult, but Chris is committed beyond the end of this season. He needs to drive down costs, but he is also prepared to stand a certain amount of losses for a number of years. I wanted assurances that his commitment was there, and I fully understand that he is losing money because of a budget we can’t stick with. His commitment is still very strong and he is positive about getting the club moving forward. There was no indication at all that I will have to get rid of key players although, as I’ve always said, I’m not foolish enough to think we would refuse absolutely any offer. What I want is the building blocks in place so we can sell when it suits us, and Chris goes along with that. We also agreed to continue with root-and-branch change because I’m not a person who is happy to stand still. There won’t be millions to spend – or even hundreds of thousands – but I agree that we should be adjusting our wages. The club certainly isn’t out of the woods yet, so it’s a case of slow revolution rather than overnight change. It was good to know that we both want a club which is going places. Now it’s just a case of seeing those things come to fruition.”