NEWPORT County AFC manager Justin Edinburgh poses a valid question when he asks why the club has lost around 1,000 supporters since the start of the season.

County secured a fourth successive home victory against Southend United on Tuesday night to move up to eighth place in League Two, just a point off the promotion play-off positions.

Yet after attracting more than 3,500 fans to Rodney Parade on the opening day of the season, there were just over 2,500 there on Tuesday.

The knock-on effect of the Nato Summit last month means County now have a number of fixture clashes with Cardiff City. They had none last season. Tuesday was one of them.

There was also the lure of Champions League football on TV, the weather was poor, and Southend brought few supporters with them.

But the obvious answer to Mr Edinburgh’s question is, in our view, the cost of attending football matches.

Newport is not an affluent area. With another home game on Saturday, many County supporters simply cannot afford to go to two matches in a week.

Ticket prices are a problem across all levels of the game in this country.

County are to be commended for reducing ticket prices in some parts of Rodney Parade to £10 for Saturday’s match against Accrington Stanley.

But more needs to be done across the game if floating fans are to become regulars.