ARGUS COMMENT: Future bright for Newport County (From South Wales Argus)

ARGUS COMMENT: Future bright for Newport County

12:20pm Friday 4th January 2013 in News

IT IS turning into a landmark season on and off the pitch for Newport County AFC.

The team will go back to the top of the Conference Premier if they beat fellow Welsh promotion rivals Wrexham tonight.

A big response to Tuesday’s 5-0 defeat to Forest Green Rovers will be needed from Justin Edinburgh and his players if that is to be achieved.

But whatever happens tonight, County remain among the favourites for promotion.

Off the field, the appointment of experienced football administrator Dave Boddy as the club’s new chief executive takes County to a new level of professionalism behind the scenes. And today we reveal the club is in talks to secure a ten-year lease to remain at Rodney Parade.

This newspaper has been a big supporter of the ground share between Newport RFC, Newport Gwent Dragons and County, and it has been a huge success so far.

A long-term agreement beyond the current threeyear deal will allow all three clubs to start planning properly for the future, particularly in terms of commercial and marketing progress.

County’s directors seem confident agreement will be reached quickly on a ten-year lease and we hope that is the case. Newport has a potentially great future as a sporting city and central to that is an enhanced working relationship between its main professional clubs.