12 minute read
Meet the Opposition: Newport County
TODAY’S OPPOSITION
NEWPORT COUNTY
THE CLUB began life in 1912 in the Southern League before being invited to become founder members of the English Football League Third Division in 1920. They failed re-election in 1931 but were elected back into the League the following year. The second World War meant that they had to wait until the 1946–47 season to take their place in the Second Division and they were relegated at the end of that campaign. In the 1980s, Newport suffered financial difficulties, with a double relegation costing them their EFL place in 1988, ending the original Newport’s 60-season stay in the Football League, however, in February 1989, the Club was wound up and expelled from the Conference. A group of 400 supporters reformed the Club in 1989 and were admitted to the Hellenic League, four leagues below the Football League. The reformed club were initially unable to play at their home ground, so picked up the nickname of the Exiles. They won the Hellenic League in 1989–90, and in the 1995, when they returned to Rodney Parade, were promoted to the Southern League Premier Division. In 1999 the ‘County’ moniker was reinstated, and in 2004 Newport took their place in the inaugural Conference South season. It wasn’t until 2010 they returned to the Conference, and the late Justin Edinburgh lead them back to the Football League beating Wrexham 2-0 in the 2013 play-off final. After 14th and ninth place finishes, Newport were threatened with relegation before Mike Flynn saved them in 2016-17, and from there they have gone from strength to strength. Impressive cup runs and a play-off final in 2018-19 since have earned Newport a reputation, and with the start they have made this term, the Exiles have a great chance of returning to the third tier for the first time since 1987. In this season’s reverse fixture in late October, Town were undone by a late Brandon Cooper winner after Will Smith had cancelled out Pádraig Amond’s opener, despite Town playing the majority of the game with 10 men after the sending off of captain Josh Falkingham in the 37th minute.
POSITION
5TH POINTS
40
FOUNDED 1912 REFORMED 1989
NICKNAME The Exiles
RODNEY PARADE Capacity 7,850
RECORD SCORER Reg Parker - 99 (1948-54)
RECORD APPEARANCES Len Weare - 526 (1955-70)
RECORD TRANSFER FEE PAID £80k Alan Waddle To Swansea City 1980
RECORD TRANSFER FEE RECEIVED £500K+ Conor Washington From Peterborough United in Jan 2014
THE EXILES PLAYING SQUAD
BETWEEN THE STICKS
1. Tom King
Signing for The Exiles in June 2019 after five years at Millwall, the 25-year-old impressed in tha recent FA Cup loss to Brighton and Hove Albion and kept his place for the league games against Salford City and Cheltenham Town, a game in which he scored from his own goal kick. A strike confirmed by Guinness World Records as the longest goal of all time at 96.01m. Whilst at Millwall he had loan spells at Welling United, Braintree Town, Stevenage and AFC Wimbledon, whilst he has also represented England at U16 and U17 level and received his first call-up to the Wales senior squad in November 2019.
30. Nick Townsend
Signing for Newport in August 2018 from Barnsley, the former Birmingham City trainee didn’t manage to make a first team appearance for The Blues but had loan spells at Oxford United in 2013 and two loan spells at Lincoln City where he made 31 appearances before returning to St Andrew’s and captaining the Blues development side to a Birmingham Senior Cup trophy in 2015. After that success he joined Barnsley on loan before making the deal permanent in September 2015 but with only 17 appearances for the Tykes over three years, joined Solihull Moors on loan in 2017 before being released in 2018.
AT THE BACK
2. Ashley Baker
Joining in January 2020 from Sheffield Wednesday, the 24-year-old began his career in Cardiff City’s youth setup and after his release in 2017, signed his first pro deal with Sheffield Wednesday. He went on to make 12 Championship appearances for The Owls before joining Newport. He has represented Wales at Under-19 and Under-21 level.
Tom King
3. Ryan Haynes
Signing from Shrewsbury Town in July 2019, the 25-year-old began his career at Coventry City and made his pro debut in April 2013 before going on to make 78 appearances for the Sky Blues in his six years there. Whilst at Coventry he had a loan spell at Cambridge United before joining League One Shrewsbury Town in June 2018.
12. Daniel Leadbitter
Signing for Newport in June 2019 after being released by Bristol Rovers, the 30-yearold was on a season-long loan at Yeovil Town before being recalled earlier this month having made 11 appearances for the Glovers. Leadbitter is a product of the Newcastle United youth system having joined at the age of nine but left for Torquay United in 2011 and then moved to Hereford United in 2013. He joined Bristol Rovers for the 2104-15 campaign in the Conference and made almost 140 appearances for the Pirates in his five-season spell there.
15. David Longe-King
Joining in August 2020 from National League South outfit St Albans City, the 25-yearold has made 195 non-league appearances, but this campaign is his first season in the EFL. Longe-King also represented England C in June 2019.
17. Scot Bennett
Joining the club in June 2016 from Notts County, the 30-year-old has made nearly 150 league appearances for Newport. A product of the much-respected Exeter City youth academy where he spent seven seasons and made over 130 appearances, he moved to League Two Notts County in May 2015 and joined Newport on loan in October 2015 and then York City on loan in March 2016 before heading to South Wales permanently.
Mickey Demetriou
28. Mickey Demetriou
Signing in January 2017 from Shrewsbury Town, the 30-year-old began his career at Worthing and Bognor Regis Town before joining Glenn Hoddle’s Academy in Spain. On returning to England, he joined Eastbourne Borough in January 2011 and then Kidderminster in the June making over 100 appearances whilst at Aggborough. He then made the step up to the EFL in June 2014 joining Shrewsbury Town. After a loan spell at Cambridge United he joined Newport and has now racked up over 150 appearances for the Exiles.
32. Liam Shephard
Signing for Newport in September 2020 from Forest Green Rovers, the 26-year-old came through Swansea City’s academy and signed his first pro deal with the club at the start of the 2013–14 season. Shephard had three loan spells at Yeovil Town before being released by the Swans and signing for Peterborough United in July 2017 where he made 24 League One appearances before signing for Forest Green Rovers in June
Joss Labadie
Mike Flynn
Appointed: March 2017 Age: 40
Mike Flynn was appointed as Newport manager late in the 2016-17 season, tasked with keeping The Exiles - 11 points adrift at the bottom of League Two - in the Football League which he managed with victory against Notts County on the last day of the season. The Welshman has a long-standing relationship with Newport both as a player and now as manager. Flynn’s playing career started with Newport in the late 1990s, and after a spell with Barry Town the midfielder moved to Wigan Athletic. He had further spells with Gillingham, Blackpool, Huddersfield Town and Bradford City before returning to Rodney Parade to become a Newport player for the third time in 2012 and playing in the squad that won promotion back to the Football League in 2013. The 40-year-old’s association with the Club continued with roles as a Coach, Academy Manager, Club Ambassador and Football and Business Development Director, before he was appointed caretaker manager then permanent manager in 2017.
IN THE DUGOUT
2018. After 67 appearances for the Green Army in his two-year spell there, he joined Newport in the Summer.
THE ENGINE ROOM
4. Joss Labadie - Captain
Club captain Joss Labadie is now in his fifth season at Newport after joining in 2016 following his release from Dagenham & Redbridge. His career started in the academy at West Bromwich Albion, from where he had loan spells at Shrewsbury Town, Cheltenham Town and Tranmere Rovers before being released in 2010. He then joined Tranmere permanently and spent two years there before spells with Notts County and Torquay United. He joined The Daggers in 2014 and was voted Player of the Season in 2015-16 before linking up with Newport in July 2016. He has since gone on to make a century of appearances for the Exiles.
7. Robbie Willmott
Now in his second spell with the club, the 30-year-old’s career began at Cambridge United coming up through The
Josh Sheehan
U’s Academy, scoring 19 goals in 108 games before joining Luton Town. Two years later, he re-signed for Cambridge before joining Newport for the first time in January 2013 and playing a vital role in County’s National League play-off promotion winning season until his release at the start of the 2015/16 season. After three years away with spells at Ebbsfleet United, Eastleigh, Bishops Stortford and Chelmsford City, he re-signed for County in May 2017 and has amassed over 200 appearances in two spells at Newport.
8. Matty Dolan
Joining County in June 2017 following a very successful two seasons at Yeovil Town, the 27-year-old began his career at Middlesbrough and after loan spells at Yeovil Town, Hartlepool United and Bradford City, signed permanently for the Bantams in May 2014. After a further loan at Hartlepool, he signed for Yeovil Town in July 2015 and went on to make 77 appearances for the Glovers before moving to Wales.
10. Josh Sheehan
Signing for County in January 2018 after a successful loan the previous season, the 25-year old’s career started in Swansea City’s academy at the age of 10 before signing his first pro contract with them in 2012. After just one League Cup appearance for the Swans and two loan spells at Yeovil Town and then Newport County for the 2016-17 season, he joined the Exiles on a permanent basis in early 2018. Now with over 100 appearances for County, he was voted ‘Player of the Year’ last season and has represented Wales at U19 and U21 level.
16. Luke Gambin
Signing earlier this month on loan from Colchester United, the Maltese international began his senior career in League Two with Barnet and spent six seasons with the Bees before moving to Luton Town in January 2017 where he helped the Hatters win promotion to League One. Following a season-long loan at Crawley Town, the 27-year-old made the switch to Colchester in June 2019 and was a mainstay in the U’s side last season that reached the play-off semi-finals.
Matty Dolan
20. Anthony Hartigan
Signing this week on loan from AFC Wimbledon for the rest of the season, the 20-yearold midfielder came through the Wombles’ academy ranks before progressing through to the first team and has now made 110 appearances for them.
21. Lewis Collins
A product of the Newport County academy, the 19-yearold made his first team debut in November 2017 in the EFL Trophy and signed a pro contract with the club in May 2019. Collins has represented Wales at U17, U19 and U21 level.
24. Jack Evans
The 22-year-old signed from Swansea City earlier this month having spent the first half of the season on loan with Cypriot club Pafos. Evans, a product of Swansea’s academy, where he made one senior appearance in the EFL Cup has represented Wales at U19, U20 and U21 level.
UP TOP
9. Pádraig Amond
Signing in August 2017 from Hartlepool United, the muchtravelled 32-year-old began his career at his hometown club Shamrock Rovers and continued to play in Ireland before venturing to Portugal in 2010 where he made 17 substitute appearances for Paços de Ferreira in the Primeira Liga. After a seasonlong loan at Accrington Stanley he was signed permanently by Accy the following season. From there he moved to Morecambe in August 2013, then Grimsby Town in July 2015 and Hartlepool in June 2016 before heading to Wales. Now in his fourth season at Rodney Parade, he has made over 175 appearances and scored 58 times for the Exiles.
11. Tristan Abrahams
Now in his second season with County after his release from Norwich City in July 2019, the 21-year-old frontman began his career at Leyton Orient in November 2016, moving immediately on loan to Cambridge City in the Southern League. Upon his return to Orient, Abrahams was put straight into the first-team and his performances led to Norwich City - then in the Championship - purchasing his services. Building up further experience with loans at Exeter City and Yeovil Town, the striker scored five times in 38 appearances across both spells before moving to South Wales.
Tristan Abrahams 22. Kevin Ellison
Ellison signed for Newport in September. The experienced striker has represented fourteen clubs across all four tiers of English football over the course of his career, making in excess of 680 appearances including Leicester City, Stockport County, Chester City, Hull City, Tranmere Rovers, Rotherham United and most recently Morecambe where the 41-yearold spent nine years and played 388 times whilst netting 88 goals before leaving the Shrimps in the summer.
26. Owen Windsor
Signing on loan earlier this month from West Bromwich Albion for the rest of the season, the 19-year-old spent the first half of the season at Grimsby Town, netting twice in 13 appearances for the Mariners. After playing youth football for Swindon Town and Southampton,[5] Windsor began his senior career with Cirencester Town before joining the Baggies in June 2019.
27. Jake Scrimshaw
The Exiles’ third signing of the January transfer window joining on loan from AFC Bournemouth, the 20-year-old spent the first half of the season on loan at Walsall making 16 appearances for the Saddlers. The striker joined Bournemouth in 2015 and has also had loan spells with Poole Town and Eastleigh, playing against Town in the FA Trophy last season at Wetherby Road.
29. Ryan Taylor
Signing in August 2020 from Plymouth Argyle, the 32-year-old began his career at Rotherham United making over 150 appearances for the Millers before spells at Bristol City, Portsmouth, Oxford United and then Plymouth with over 320 career appearances to his name and 51 goals. Taylor made 98 appearances during his time at Plymouth, twice winning promotion to League One after joining the club in January 2017.
RECENT LINE-UP
v Oldham Athletic (A) L2-3
Saturday, 23 January 2021
