Huge thanks to Damon Brimble, found on Twitter @brimble_damon1 for giving us the low down on Newport County as they mount a serious promotion challenge in League Two
How has the season gone for you so far?
The season so far has gone very well, we sit fourth in the league after twenty games which I think will be above most fans expectations, during pre-season the consensus from outsiders and some supporters was that we would finish anywhere from 15th to 21st, so to be 4th is a massive over-achievement especially based on the finances of the three clubs sitting above us currently.
Mike Flynn has added well to the squad and has gotten the new players to buy into his system and given them a love of the club. You can see that the team is happy and willing to fight for each other and that team spirit is massive for a club like ours and is one of the main reasons why we sit in the higher echelons of the division.
Who has been your key player and why?
The key player this season so far absolutely has to be Jamille Matt, his signing in July was met with some scepticism from fans, but he has been a revelation scoring 12 goals in his 25 games so far for the club, then you look at the statistics of the striker he replaced, Frank Nouble who scored ten goals in the whole of last season. Matt has scored two vital late goals which could be massive come the end of the season. A 95th minute winner against Notts County in August and a 97th minute equaliser against Macclesfield which saved my 18th birthday.
Which player has disappointed you the most this season and why?
The most disappointing player so far has to be Charlie Cooper, he arrived in the summer on a season long loan from Forest Green Rovers and despite showing glimpses he is nowhere near consistent enough to be a League Two player. Some fans have even joked about personally driving him back to Nailsworth after December 15 when the Severn Bridge toll ends, in a strong squad sadly he does stand out as a bit of a loose nail and unless a severe injury crisis develops in the next few games his amount of game time will dwindle.
Which game have you enjoyed the most to date and why?
The game against Cambridge United is the game I have enjoyed the most, apart from a dreadful first twenty minutes where Cambridge got themselves into a 2-0 lead we were superb. A penalty late in the first half made in 2-1 and then a second half blitz of goals and fantastic attacking football saw us win the game 4-2. The performance was the most clear sign of the team spirit I mentioned earlier, especially as this home game was the one two weeks after the drubbing against Yeovil and we could easily of caved in again.
What has been the lowest point of your season so far?
The lowest point of the season is without doubt the 6-0 home defeat to Yeovil Town, we were terrible and got completely outplayed and embarrassed. What made it worse was the form preceding this game, we had won four straight league games including impressive wins away at Port Vale and Oldham and were joint top of the league. Then everything went wrong and we are still suffering the after effects of this defeat, sitting fourth with a negative goal difference.
How do you think the second half of the season will go for you?
Hard to say, the teams in and around us have more leverage to strengthen in January while we have limited scope. The manager and board have spoken about the January transfer window and the boss will get support but how much is not known. I would say that for the second half of the season the aim should be to stay in and around the top seven and hope that injuries don’t become a problem. Right now I will say anywhere from 1st to 10th is possible as the top of the table is that tight
What will you be hoping to see happen at your club in the transfer window?
As I said it will be difficult for the backroom staff to get depth in the squad, but the one area where the manager should be targeting is defence. We have shipped too many goals for a top seven side and our goals against and goal difference does stand out amongst the other six sides in the top seven, so reinforcing the defence should be a priority.
Which other League 2 players would you like to see your side sign?
We obviously have limited scope, but I would say that if we could get anyone from our league I would want someone who knows the club and how it operates. As a result I would say Sam Foley at Northampton, he is still someone who the fans have a lot of love for and he is someone with experience who could help out the midfield. It wont happen but it never hurts to be positive.
As the manager has said we have the potential to do something special this season, but it’s vital he stays and then who knows what will happen, The one thing Mike Flynn has never allowed is for Newport to become complacent and give up and I can see that happening again, don’t write us off.
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