SACKED John Cornforth has found an unlikely ally in Peter Nicholas, the man he replaced as Newport County boss a year ago.

Cornforth was dismissed on Monday night after 49 games in charge and exactly a year after Nicholas got the boot.

"It is like deja vu," said former Wales star Nicholas. "I really don't know what Newport are playing at, they might as well fit a revolving door at the front of the manager's office.

"I don't know John Cornforth all that well but from what I hear he is a straight-up guy and to get the sack just seven games into the season is ridiculous.

"You can't keep sacking managers at the start of the season because they don't make the best of starts.

"It takes time for teams with a lot of new players to settle, not seven games or eight like I got."

He added: "The board simply haven't got a clue how football works and they have got themselves in a right mess. What is a new manager going to be able to do when he finds out that he can't bring in his own players because there's no money available?

"The players that John brought in won't be happy and they won't be able to get rid of the ones on contracts, it could end up in disaster for them."

Nicholas is gobsmacked at the resignation of Wallace Brown as general manager and lays the blame firmly at the feet of the board.

Brown, who has played a major role in the club since re-forming in 1989 with spells as chairman, director and latterly general manager, resigned on a point of principle after disagreeing with Cornforth's dismissal.

It is believed that Brown was also unhappy with Nicholas' sacking 12 months earlier and this latest decision has pushed him over the edge.

"I am absolutely flabbergasted that Wallace has resigned," he said. "If you cut Wallace in half, he bleeds amber blood.

"He is Newport County and you would not believe the work he puts into the club.

"He is the heart and soul of the club. Managers come and go but football relies on people like Wallace.

"The board really have to look at themselves if their actions are forcing someone like Wallace to resign."

Nicholas, now in charge at high-flying Welsh Premiership full-timers Llanelli, laughs at any suggestion of a comeback but he believes the downward spiral will continue unless a manager is given time to do a proper job.

He thinks that his former assistant Glyn Jones, and former manager Tim Harris will be in the running for the job.