Gateshead are at the crossroads as judgement day looms with an all or nothing final Blue Square Premier clash with AFC Wimbledon at the International Stadium on Saturday.
One point could be enough to escape relegation but, conversely, the Tynesiders could win the game and still be relegated.
For Gateshead-born vice-chairman Brian Waites the stakes couldn't be higher.
Waites said: "It would be devastating to go down after we've built up such a momentum over the last few years but hopefully it won't come to that and we can kick on next season.
"The club has gone from strength to strength increasing gates year-on-year and there is so much riding on the last game against Wimbledon.
"The Tyneside public has shown they will turn out for the big games. We expect a big crowd on Saturday and hopefully we'll al be celebrating survival after the game."
Waites, however, admits that if Gateshead don't escape the trapdoor the impact of relegation would affect the club in various strategic areas.
It is doubtful that plans to turn full-time for the first time since Gateshead lost Football League status fifty years ago would be instigated if the club is back in the Conference North.
And plans to put a reserve side into the totesport.com Central League alongside the likes of Newcastle and Leeds United would be scuppered.
"The Central League won't take clubs below the Blue Square Premier so this would blunt our plans to develop talent and relegation would change the dynamics of how we operate
The club has been unable to make plans for next season because of the uncertainty of what league they will be playing in but Waites remains upbeat.
"If we went down by one point that would be a travesty because the point deducted for not completing the Hayes & Yeading United game in September would come back to haunt us.
"But I'm sure the manager Ian Bogie will have the lads up for the game against the Dons - and it will be some party if we stay up after all the heart attacks we've had along the way."
