County lose the plot and fall to shambolic defeat

Sep 7 – A truly shambolic and ill disciplined performance by Newport County ended with a 4-1 defeat to Port Vale, nine players on the field and a complete lack of discipline. Their task was made difficult by the loss of McLaughlin to injury after 4 minutes. Dominant Vale scored via Jason Stockley after 5 minutes, Aaron Wildig responded with a fine header after 18 minutes. Stockley restored the advantage after 35 minutes. Chislett and Tolaj made it 4-1 with County all at sea. First Brennan (for violent conduct) and then Jameson (for kicking the ball at a Vale fan) were correctly red carded but despite their numbers the Exiles maintained the scoreline to the end.

Exiles win in Morecambe

Aug 31- A goalkeeping error gifted Aaron Wildig a goal after nine minutes and Newport a victory at Morecambe. Despite their lowly position Morecambe fought hard and created a number of opportunities but were denied by the excellence of Exiles’ man of the match goalkeeper Nick Townsend. Manager Nelson Jardim said: “Morecambe are a good side and probably deserved more from the game but we managed it well.

“We had to work hard to keep a clean sheet to win the three points and we showed that we are a good group, which was really important for me too because it shows how willing we are to compete when we need to.”

County see off Stanley in fine win

Aug 25 – A second consecutive 3-1 home win for Newport as they pulled off another fine second half effort to defeat Accrington Stanley. 
Shane McLoughlin’s shot was deflected in off Stanley defender Seb Quirk, but the visitors ended the first half strongly and were deservedly on terms when Shaun Whalley cut inside to fire the equaliser past Nick Townsend.

Stanley failed to take their chances as defender Love felled Bobby Kamwa in the box and Courtney Baker-Richardson put the Exiles 2-1 up from the spot after 52 minutes.

Exiles captain Aaron Wildig then hooked in a third in the 63rd minute to settle it despite further opportunities for the Lancashire team.

Exiles battle back to beat Doncaster

Aug 18 – A first half goal conceded following their capitulation to Leyton Orient in the League Cup in midweek seemed to suggest another tough day for the Exiles but they pulled it around in fine style against much fancied Doncaster. Bobby Kamwa changed the game cutting in after 47 minutes to equalise before Kai Whitmore added a second and Matt Baker added a third to round off a resounding second half performance. Att 4755.

Heartbreak as County lose opener

Aug 11 – Newport County suffered heart break in their opening fixture conceding a decisive goal in the fifth minute of injury time to lose 3-2 at Cheltenham.

Newport battled back after conceding two goals in 27 minutes to Joel Colwill and Liam Dulson. They hit back on 43 minutes through a Baker Richardson penalty after Kamba was fouled. Greaves equalised after 73 minutes. The game was then tip and tuck until Colwill popped up to s ore at the death to break Exile hearts.

County lost Will Evans, last year’s top scorer,  to Mansfield a few days before the match in a deal believed to be worth £200k.

Shock defeat at Barry

July 20 – Newport County slipped to a shock 2-1 defeat against Barry Town at Jenner Park. Aaron Wildig grabbed the opener for the Exiles. Next up a behind closed doors fixture away at Bristol City on Tuesday

Coach confirmed, another friendly win

July 18 – Nelson Jardim has been confirmed as County coach. The Exiles responded by beating Pontypridd United 2-0:with goals from Bryn Morris and Cameron Antwi.

Newport state they have rejected tentative bids for striker Will Evans, amongst others from Blackburn. Huw Jenkins, who watched Newport’s 2-0 friendly win over Pontypridd United on Tuesday, said: “There has been interest and I will say now we have had a couple of offers, tentative offers, from League One clubs. We have knocked both of them back”

Opening win for Exiles

July 13 – County beat Undy in their opening fixture by 4 goals to 1. 
Goals from Michael Spellman, Courtney Baker-Richardson, Kiban Rai and Luke Jephcott secured the win for the Exiles on the road. Next up at Pontypridd United on Tuesday, kick off 7.30pm

County unveil new kit

Jul 12 – Newport County and VX3 have revealed the club’s new home kit for the upcoming 2024-25 Sky Bet League Two season.

The home kit showcases the club’s traditional amber and black colours, with the return of striped hooped socks.

Pure Vans will continue to be displayed on the front of the home shirt, with Best Blinds adorning the sleeve. 57 Tyres will occupy the lower back slot, and Candour Talent will be positioned on the back of the shorts.

The presence of these partners means that young supporters can once again wear the same shirt as their heroes when cheering on the Exiles this season.

The front of the new shirt incorporates unique elements of the historic Newport Transporter Bridge.

Coachless County make several signings

July 10 – Newport County may not have a Head Coach but there have been active in the transfer market as they build next season’s squad. 

New owner Huw Jenkins agreed to release former Graham Coughlan. The Exiles have named Nelson Jardim as ‘Lead Coach’ . He has had spells at Birmingham and Swansea previously. 

On the player front the club retained Will Evans and Aaron Wildig. They have signed a raft of new players including attacking midfielder Oliver Greaves, returning players Matt Baker, Nathan Wood and Courtney Baker Richardson, winger Michael Spellman and midfielder Cameron Antwi. 

On the field play commences with a friendly match away at Undy on July 13.

SEASON REVIEW - County slip away

SEASON 2023/24 – Newport County were always safe but any pretensions for more than that slipped away dramatically as they experienced a poor end of season. They lost their last eight fixtures to end the season in a disappointing 18th position. Their last points came in the win over Wimbledon on March 16.

County slip up at Barrow

Mar 23 – Newport County’s play off push took a blow with a 1-0 defeat at play off rivals Barrow. The Exiles conceded a goal after 20 minutes when former favourite Dom Telford assisted Cole Stockton. County had their moments with chances for Palmer Houlden and Will Evans. They are four points adrift of the play off teams, next up Colchester away. 

Exiles close on play off places

Mar 17 – Newport County closed to within two points of the play off places with a fine 2-0 win at rivals Wimbledon. Bryn Morris opened the scoring with a bullet strike after ten minutes. Kyle Jameson added a second with a volleyed effort mid way through the second half in a consummate away performance from the Exiles.

County bounce back to beat Colchester

Oct 3 – Newport County bounced back from the weekend’s disappointment at Salford to beat Colchester 2-1 at Rodney Parade. In a fine display Will Evans nullified Samson Tovide’s opener for the Essex team just before half time. Omar Bogle’s 63rd minute effort gave the Exiles a deserved lead. Arthur Read of Colchester was sent off for violent conduct with five minutes to go. Att – 3220.

County show courage to hold Barrow

Sept 16 – The Exiles maintained their strong home form despite difficult circumstances against Barrow. Newport missed a penalty after Bogle hit the post but scored after 40 minutes when Shane McLougjlin hit a fine strike. Moments later Ryan Delaney was sent off for a second yellow.

Dean Campbell’s netted penalty for Barrow in the second half but County played with huge courage and commitment with 10 men to secure a point.

Crawley see off County

Sept 9 – Crawley eventually saw off Newport County 4-1.

Adam Campbell scored twice as out of shape Crawley thumped in form Newport. He also assisted Nick Tsaroulla to score, Ben Gladwin also netted.

Exiles striker Omar Bogle scored County’s only goal.

County fight back against Dons

Sept 2 – A pulsating fight back saw Newport fight back to emerge with a 2-2 draw with Wimbledon. The Exiles conceded two goals to the in-form James Tilley on nine and thirty minutes. County goal machine Will Evans scored in first half stoppage time to halve the deficit. Centre forward Omar Bogle levelled matters 10 minutes into the second half with a clever lob.

Exiles lose on penalties to Brentford

Aug 31 – Newport County went out on penalties after holding Brentford to a 1-1 draw at Rodney Parade. The Exiles Kiban Rai headed home after 96 minutes responding to an 87th minute goal from Mathias Jensen. A crowd of just under 5000 held their breath as the game entered penalties but the Premier League team showed their quality coming through by 3 to nil.

Storming second half sees County home

Aug 26 – A storming second half display at Fortress Rodney Parade saw Newport County home by three goals to one against Sutton United. After a goalless first half dominated by defences Sutton took the lead on 53 minutes with a goal from Patrick. The Exiles levelled after 69 minutes when Kizzi put the ball into his own net from an Adam Lewis free kick. Harry Charsley gave County the lead after 73 minutes with a header before top scorer Will Evans made the result secure after 87 minutes heading home a cross from Seb Palmer-Holden. 

County win at Merthyr

Aug 23 – Newport County came back from a goal deficit to beat Merthy 2-1 at Penydarren Park in a hastily arranged friendly. A trialist and Bondswell scored for the Exiles who used the game to give squad and academy players some match time.

Evans on target in fine County win

Aug 19 – Will Evans scored another brace, making it five goals in a week, as Newport County comfortably beat Forest Green Rovers by 3-0 at the New Lawn. Evans was on the end of a Delaney header after just 13 seconds and doubled the advantage after 25 minutes. Left back Adam Lewis netted a late penalty after a defender handled in the box. 

The County defence held firm and was not tested until a 77th minute shot on target from FGR. Sean Robertson was sent off just before the final whistle for a poor challenge on Bondswell.

Rude awakening for Exiles

Aug 16 – Newport’s defensive frailties were exposed by Crewe as the Exiles crashed down to earth by four goals to two. Ironically, it was former talisman Mickey Demetriou who netted two of the home side’s goals. The first came from a goalkeeping error, although Will Evans quickly equalised for County. 
In a key moment Newport lose centre half Kyle Jameson after 43 minutes with a hip injury that could keep him out of action for several weeks. In the second half it was Demetriou again who smashed home Joel Tabiner’s free-kick. With County stuttering Chris Long scored the third Crewe goal from a penalty. Elliot Nevitt scored the fourth before Harry Charsley scored a second for Newport. 
Off the field central defender James Clarke will be in contention for the Forest Green Rovers match on Saturday and County continue their search for a striker in advance of the September 1 transfer deadline.

County blow Doncaster away

Aug 13 – Newport County blow Doncaster Rovers a2ay by four goals to nil in an emphatic performance at Rodney Parade. The new look Exiles delighted the home faithful with a high pressing energetic display with plenty of passion and attacking intent. Man of the match Will Evans netted two goals one in either half. Seb Palmer-Houlden opened the scoring after a defensive mistake. The other goal came from a Doncaster own goal by Wood. County flagged slightly in the second half but Doncaster offered little in the way of attacking flair. attendance 3989.

Impressive County beat Charlton

Aug 8 – An excellent second half performance saw Newport County beat League One opponents Charlton Athletic by three goals to one at Rodney Parade in the EFL Cup. The Exiles turned around a one goal half time deficit with goals from Aaron Wildig, Will Evans and Seb Palmer-Houlden. The impressive second half effort gave Graham Coughlan’s side a first win of the campaign and sees them into the second round with sides from the Premier League. The manager commented to the BBC “I’m really pleased and I’m delighted for the lads, they’ve had a tough couple of weeks. It’s not been easy. The fans were unbelievable tonight as well, even when we went 1-0 down, the way they got behind us.” Attendance 2617.

The Exiles face Premier League Brentford in the next round at Rodney Parade on August 29 or 30.

Clinical Accrington see off Exiles

Aug 6 – A tremendous turnout of 464 Exiles fans saw Newport County beaten 3-nil by a more clinical Accrington Stanley outfit. The home side made the most of their chances whereas Newport failed to convert their opportunities with two shots on target out of seventeen on the Stanley goal.

Jack Nolan beat Nick Townsend from close range, Shaun Whalley doubled the lead before Korede Adedoyin struck a third in injury time. Will Evans hit the post late on fog County.

Newport County manager Graham Coughlan told the BBC: “I thought we were very good, the chances we created – we created enough to win two games of football.”

Pre-season boost for Exiles as Lewis signs up

Aug 3 – Newport County received a much needed boost with the return of loaned left back Adam Lewis from Liverpool. He played 21 games for the Exiles last season. Goalkeeper Jon Maxted has also signed allowing County to release Joe Day to Woking on loan. 
After a disappointing run of friendlies County impressed in their final friendly at home to League One Cheltenham last Saturday. Aaron Wildig’s 60th minute shot was deflected home but Cheltenham came back late in the game with a late equaliser. They face Accrington away on Saturday.

County sign Bristol forward

July 21 – Newport County have signed Seb Palmer-Houlden on a season-long loan from Championship club Bristol City.

The 19-year-old forward scored 17 goals for the Robins’ U21 side in 2022-23 and last week extended his contract with the Ashton Gate club until June 2025.

County have signed a new short term deal to continue playing at Rodney Parade for next season.

Work will now begin in securing a longer deal for tenancy at the ground as the Football League requires clubs to have 10 year deals in place from 2025-26 onwards.

The Exiles lost a friendly away to Swansea 5-0 this week. They have arranged a friendly with League One side Cheltenham Town next Saturday (July 29) at Rodney Parade, kick off 2pm.

Exiles squad building continues

July 8 – Newport County head to Undy for their now traditional first preseason friendly with one or two key positions in their squad unfilled. Of those offered new contracts only keeper Nick Townsend, defender James Clarke and defensive midfielder Scott Bennett have taken up the offer.
Manager Graham Coughlan has said the door is still open to stalwart Mickey Demetriou. He said ““He has been made a competitive and long offer, which included a testimonial. He has his own plans but as of yet I haven’t signed anybody in that position. The door is still ajar but I can’t hang around and the offers were made weeks ago. There is not a lot more I can do, so we have to try to replace.”
Since we last reported the Exiles have signed midfielder Nathan Wood from Bridgend on a two year contract, he is from Newport and was originally in the Academy. Also 18 year old Nepalese striker Kilban Rai has signed his first professional contract with Exiles and will joined by Tranmere central defender Kyle Jameson on a two year deal. Defensive midfielder Bryan Morris will supplement the clubs midfield strength joining on a two year deal from Grimsby.  Left back Matty Bondswell has signed up on a season long loan from Newcastle. 
The Exiles will undoubtedly play the loan market again as they did much of last season. Off the field the club is said to be looking at buying some time before it reviews it’s current, support owned, ownership model.

Coughlan begins squad building for 2023/24

May 13 – Newport have retained 12 players for next season as Graham Coughlan builds his squad for next season. They are – Joe Day, defenders Declan Drysdale and Harrison Bright, left-back/forward Will Evans, midfielders Harry Charsley, Sam Bowen, Aaron Wildig, James Waite and Josh Edwards plus forwards Omar Bogle, Kiban Rai and Offrande Zanzala.

New contracts have been offered to skipper Mickey Demetriou, Priestley Farquharson, Cameron Norman, James Clarke, Aaron Lewis, Scot Bennett and Nick Townsend.  Among those released are Robbie Wilmott, Matty Dolan and Lewis Collins.
Club director Peter Madigan has denied that the club has financial problems in an interview with the South Wales Argus. 
He said “

“League Two survival is the most important thing and with a number of things going on we’ve had to knuckle down and get on with things.

“I don’t know where the various rumours have come from and it’s sort of damaging but we don’t want to chase and respond to every messageboard rumour either.”

Entertaining draw concludes season

May 8 – An entertaining draw concluded a difficult season for Newport County at Rodney Parade this afternoon. Crewe Alexandra fought hard and played some good football  and deserved their 2-all draw. The first half seemed to be a succession of County corners and long throw ins with a blocked effort from Norman their best chance, Daniel Agyei hit the crossbar for the railwaymen.

The second half started with positive play from Crewe. Adebisi opened the scoring on 56 minutes. Newport sprang into action, excellent subs Waite and McNeill combined to win a penalty, converted by Bogle. Bogle finished after a good period of Exiles pressure on 91 minutes. The match seemed won but Crewe responded immediately with a great finish from Lachlan Brook to secure a draw.

Exiles come back to beat Gills

Apr 30 – Newport County fought back at Gillingham to return home with a 2-1 victory. The Exiles striker Omar Bogle netted the winner after 78 minutes.  County opened the scoring when Cameron Norman  nodded in a corner from the far post after nine minute. Three minutes later they conceded a penalty converted by Tom Nichols. In form Bogle’s winner continued the Exiles good away form and offers them the possibility of finishing in tenth place with a game to go.

Apr 25 – County went down 3-2 to Harrogate Omar Bogle pulled the lead back twice for the Exiles before Luke Armstrong produced the winner for the North Yorkshire side.

County goal flurry wins victory in Doncaster

Apr 22 – Newport County scored a flurry of goals to take victory over Doncaster. The Exiles 3-1 win at the Eco Power Stadium puts them in 14th position. After conceding a 12th minute goal to Kyle Hurst they put together an emphatic second half performance with three goals in fifteen minutes from Farquharson, Wildig and Norman.

Apr 18 – Newport County lost 2-1 at home to Mansfield , Aaron Wildig got a consolation goal with four minutes to play.

County bounce back with big win

Apr 15 – Newport County bounced back from their reverse at Stockport with a fine win over Hartlepool. Omar Bogle opened the scoring with a left footed shot after 17 minutes. Mickey Demetriou doubled the Exiles advantage with a strike just before half time. There were opportunities for both sides in the second half but the score remained unchanged and County are comfortably in mid table.

Exiles thumped at Stockport

Apr 10 – Newport were comprehensively beaten by resurgent Stockport County at Edgeley Park. 

Kyle Wootton scored a first-half double before Jack Stratton swept home the third as Stockport continued to dominate after the break. Kyle Knoyle added the fourth late on to complete the Exiles miserable afternoon.

County must be safe after big home win

Apr 7 – Newport County produced their best result of the season, beating promotion hopefuls Northampton Town by three goals to nil at a vibrant Rodney Parade. They should be safe as they are now nine points ahead of the relegation zone with seven to play.

Omar Bogle put the Exiles in front after 43 minutes with a right footed shoot. They weathered pressure from the Cobblers in the second half before being awarded a penalty for a foul in the area by Harvey Lintott after 90 minutes. Bogle converted the spot kick. In the sixth minute of injury time Manchester United loanee Charlie McNeill slotted home following a pass from Bogle.

Exiles grind out draw at Colchester

Apr 1 – Newport County resumed after the international break to gain another important point against fellow strugglers Colchester. With eight games to play the Exiles are nine points clear of the relegation zone currently occupied by Hartlepool with a game in hand.

Gavin Foxall steps down

Mar 25 -Newport County chairman Gavin Foxall has resigned from the board and Supporters’ Trust because of ill health.

Foxall, who has not been present at Newport games since January, first joined the Supporters Trust in October 2015 before becoming Newport’s operational chairman in 2017.

“We would like to place on record our thanks to Gavin for his significant contribution and hard work over the years,” the club said.” We wish Gavin a speedy recovery.”

Foxall leaves in the wake of director Kevin Ward’s decision to step down because of a conflict of interest with Newport Live, where he is chairman.

Superb win for County at Tranmere

Mar 18 – A near perfect away performance at Frenton Park gave Newport a 3-1 victory over Tranmere. 
After 25 minutes Aaron Wildig’s left footed shot gave the Exiles the lead after 25 minutes. Five minutes later Charlie McNeill made it two with a strike from within the box. In the second half Calum Kavanagh made the game secure with eight minutes to go. Reagan Hendry made it 3-1 with a goal for the home side. 
The result puts Newport 12 points clear of Hartlepool, the team in 23rd place.

Exiles secure yet another draw

Mar 14 – The pattern of Newport’s previous two encounters was repeated at Rodney Parade as they secured another 1-1 draw against AFC Wimbledon. The Exiles conceded early on but fought back to allay relegation worries.

The Dons were ahead in the fifth minute when Ali Al-Hamada netted from Chris Gunter’s cross. A triple substitution midway through the second half led to a recovery for the Exiles and after the Dons failed to clear an Aaron Lewis corner Harry Charsley slammed the equaliser home.

Exiles fight back for another draw

Mar 11 – Newport County fought back to draw 1-1 with Bradford City at Rodney Parade. The Exiles struck in the second half when the Bantams’ Liam Ridehalgh put the ball in his own net.

Bradford took the lead in the first half with a right footed strike by Andy Cook. The most controversial moment of the match was the referee’s failure to red card City goalkeeper Harry Lewis for handball outside of the area. Referee Sam Allinson later stated he realised Lewis had mistaken the venue’s rugby union pitch markings for his handling boundary.

County end poor run with draw at Grimsby

Mar 7 – Newport County ended their poor recent run with a much needed draw at fellow strugglers Grimsby. The Mariners took the lead after 36 minutes with John McAtee striking home from outside the box. 
The Exiles equalised on 56 minutes when Priestly Farquharson netted from Aaron Lewis’s cross. 

County slip to defeat at Salford

Mar 4 – Newport County slipped to a disappointing defeat at Salford  by 3 goals to 1.  Harry Charsley put County ahead from a Priestley Farquharson pass but Callum Hardy levelled for the home team.

Conor McAleny added a second just a minute into the second half.  Matt Smith’s injury time header sealed Salford’s win.

Exiles lose to Sutton

Feb 28 – Newport County were overcome by play off challengers Sutton on a difficult day at Rodney Parade. Rowe put the visitors ahead after 9 minutes. County came close on occasions but were out battled in midfield and Alistair Smith made it a 2-0 victory for Sutton with a 65th minute strike.

Demetriou late winner secures three points

Feb 21 – Newport County edged further away from the relegation zone thanks to yet another late finish at Victoria Park. Mickey Demetriou headed home Aaron Lewis’s corner in injury time ,to give the Exiles the only goal of the game against Hartlepool. Lewis was County’s outstanding player in an otherwise poor quality match. The win moves the Exiles eleven points clear of the team in 23rd place, Crawley Town. 122 fans made the trip to the North East.

Another late goal secures draw at Walsall

Feb 18 – Another late goal gave County a 1-1 draw as they maintained their recent unbeaten run at Walsall. Isaac Hutchison atoned for an earlier missed chance by netting the Saddlers lead after 32 minutes. Newport manager Graham Coughlan made four half time changes later stating that his side had under-performed in the game. With ten minutes to play Cameron Norman was left unchallenged to put the Exiles level with a far post header.

County hit back twice to draw with Stevenage

Feb 15 – Newport County twice recovered a deficit to draw with title chasing Stevenage at Rodney Parade. The Exiles went a goal down after three minutes with Luke Norris scoring for the away side. They responded very well and fully deserved their equaliser through Omar Bogle.

Stevenage renewed their lead early in the second half with a Jordan Roberts goal. County continued to press and were rewarded with a penalty following a foul on Bogle, who slotted home the opportunity after 84 minutes.

Precious three points for County

Feb 11 – A 95 minute goal from stalwart Mickey Demetriou gave Newport County a precious victory in Barrow. The victory puts a little more space between the Exiles and their rivals in the League Two basement battle most of whom drew or lost. Demetriou headed home the only goal to the delight of the 95 travelling fans. 

Ofrande Zanzala thought he had given the Exiles the lead after a minute through combined play with Lewis and McNeill but it was disallowed for offside. Newport came close on a number of occasions in the second half and were handed an opportunity when Rory Feely of Barrow was sent off after 80 minutes. Kavanagh went close before Demetriou’s winner.

Morale boosting victory for Exiles

Feb 4 – Newport County pulled off a deserved 2-1 win over play off hopefuls Swindon Town at Rodney Parade. In their first home game since January 2 the Exiles were able to benefit from playing against 10 men for 75 minutes after Rushian Hepburn-Murphy was sent off for violent conduct against Cameron Norman. It was Norman who broke the deadlock after 54 minutes heading in Aaron Lewis’s excellent cross. County added a second when Lewis fed debutant Calum Kavanagh to slide in a second with 10 minutes to go. Tomi Adeloye got a consolation goal for Swindon, Bogle had a late effort for the Exiles that hit the post. 

Exiles boost forward line with late swoop

Feb 1 – Newport County, having completed the signing of Charlie McNeil further bolstered their front line with the signing of another promising 19 year old.

Calum Kavanagh  joins the Exiles from Championship side Middlesbrough until the end of the 2022-23 campaign. After scoring six goals in 13 games in the Under-18 Premier League, Calum signed professional terms at the Riverside in 2020.

The signing means that Lewis Collins is released on loan to National League side Torquay United.

Baker signs

Jan 26 – Newport County AFC have announced the signing of Matt Baker on a loan deal until the end of the season. The centre back arrives on loan from Championship outfit Stoke City to bolster County’s defence for the remainder of the 2022-23 campaign. 

On signing for County, Matt said: “I’m buzzing, I had a good chat with the manager and I can’t wait to get started. “He’s said to me to come in with a clean sheet mentality and that’ll be good enough for him! “At heart, I’m a defender – I like to keep the ball out the net, it’s my main aim when I step onto the pitch, but on the flipside I’m composed on the ball so I like to do both sides of the game.”

Baker joins County’s other new signing midfielder Henry Charsley, a free transfer from Port Vale. There is no news as yet about a forward signing, 

Exiles pursue players in transfer scramble

Jan 25 – Newport County have been linked with a number of players as they try to bolster their squad ahead of transfer deadline day (January 31).

The Exiles have been linked with loan deals for Stoke City’s  19 year old Welsh defender Matt Baker and Nottingham Forest’s Swedish forward Julian Larsson. Last week they signed midfielder Harry Charsley on an 18-month deal from League One side Port Vale.

Police are appealing for witnesses to crowd trouble at Newport’s game with Rochdale. Greater Manchester Police have released photos of three men (below) they would like to speak to after disorder that followed the Rochdale v Newport match on 7 January.

The incident involved around 10-15 fans from both clubs close to the away turnstiles on Willbutts Lane.

PC Rob Smith, GMP’s liaison officer at Rochdale AFC, said: “A number of people were fighting, with club stewards having to break up the fight before police arrived and dispersed those remaining.”

Frozen pitch - game off

Jan 21 – Along with most fixtures in League Two Newport’s game with AFC Wimbledon was called off due to a frozen pitch at Rodney Parade.

Exiles come unstuck at Brunton Park

Jan 14 – Newport County slipped to a disappointing defeat 2-0 to promotion chasing Carlisle United at Brunton Park. Having shown some early promise the Exiles conceded an agonising goal just prior to half time from Kristina Dennis. Carlisle doubled their lead with a skilful effort from debutant John Kymani-Jackson. Attendance 5068.