AS THOUSANDS of Newport County AFC fans gear up for Sunday’s Wembley play off to get back in the football league for the first time in a generation, one fan is undertaking a 21,000-mile round trip in just over two days. WILL BAIN and JOHN PHILLIPS report.

ONE of the original directors of Newport County AFC is set to travel 10,500 miles from Sydney to Wembley on Sunday because “I would kill myself if I wasn’t there the day Newport got back to the football league.”

Colin Jones, 55, was there at the Lysaght Institute in June 1989 when Newport County AFC was born from the ashes of the old debt-ridden Newport County.

He admits candidly: “If I’m being completely honest, I never thought it (the club) would get out the door.”

But it did because Mr Jones and the other 399 loyal supporters there that night fought hard with the express aim of bringing a football league club back to Newport.

And now the businessman will splash out 3,000 Australian dollars (around £2,000) and travel for 52 hours door to door for just 90 minutes of football on Sunday.

Because of work commitments, the former Malpas resident has to rush back to Australia, meaning he will only be in the UK from around 5am when he lands at Heathrow, to just after 10pm when he jets back out again.

“I ummed and ahhed about it, and initially I wasn’t going to come because I thought, this is mad for 90 minutes of football.

“But the more I thought about it I just thought ‘If they do get back to the league on Sunday I can’t believe I won’t be there.’ I would kill myself if I wasn’t there.

“I’m getting emotional just thinking about it actually.”

Asked if it will be all worthwhile he said: “Ask me on Sunday evening!”

His message to the County players is simple.

“Just go out there and do it for yourselves, for Newport and for all those people who believed that night.”

A mere hop at just over 3,500 miles, another lifelong County fan has made his way from Toronto for the big day at Wembley. Julian Murray, 52, will head down with dad John on Sunday.

County-mad Mr Murray left Newport for Canada 23 years ago but the club he fell in love with growing up never left the former St Joseph’s school pupil.

“Obviously I’ve been following from afar for most of the period after bankruptcy.

“Unfortunately I couldn’t make it over last year (for the FA trophy final) but I was over for work anyway this time so decided to extend my stay into the weekend,” Mr Murray said.

“It’s my first trip to the new Wembley so I’m looking forward to it.

“It’s going to be a tough game but I’m confident.”

It’s certainly a long way from Mr Murray’s most vivid memory of following County, a Welsh Cup win over Shrewsbury.

But hopefully, on Sunday, two long-distance County fans will have a new memory to smile about, and remind them of home.

Sausage king predicts a win

IT’S a case of back with a banger for Newport County-mad butcher Mike Edwards, as he gets set for another trip to Wembley with the club.

Mr Edwards of Edwards & Sons butchers on Caerleon Road in the city, has reprised his popular Newport County sausage ahead of this weekend’s play-off final with Wrexham.

Ahead of last year’s historic first trip to Wembley for the FA Trophy final, Mr Edwards conjured up a special sausage packed full of goodies including pork, leek, apple, mango, redcurrant, port and Champagne.

He said the key ingredient was a dash of Sam Foley magic, but since the former fans’ favourite headed to Yeovil, this year Mr Edwards reckons it’s more a case of Justin Edinburgh magic, in honour of the County supremo.

“Last year I made £30-40 worth and sold out in days so I’ve made a lot more this year,” Mr Edwards said.

Mr Edwards is off to London with a coachload of 50 friends and he said: “I can’t wait. I’m over the moon with excitement.

“I’m confident. I’ve seen Wrexham have been writing us off already, like Grimsby did. Let them write us off at their peril.”

Mr Edwards is predicting a 2-0 County triumph.

If that comes true “I’ll have to get started on a promotion sausage won’t I?” he laughs.