Today, with the club on the verge of promotion into the Football League, those eyebrows have dipped somewhat and there is less cynicism in the air.
The ground is being redeveloped, fixtures are selling out and the ownership and fanbase are truly at one.
Former England goalkeeper Ben Foster has arrived, a big penalty has been saved in an extraordinary win against title challengers Notts County and the first step seems certain to be taken.
Expectation is palpable. So, assuming the Red Dragons complete the job, will they move on with momentum or get stuck at the puzzle of overcoming the next challenge?
In recent times, there are a number of clubs that have moved into the Football League and kept going. Fleetwood, Burton, Morecambe, Accrington, Cambridge, Oxford - all have made the journey into the League, some for the first time, and all have moved on up.
This story is from the April 16, 2023 edition of The Football League Paper.
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This story is from the April 16, 2023 edition of The Football League Paper.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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