THE remarks made by your correspondent Linda Joseph, in relation to Newport County, are small minded and fail to appreciate the bigger picture.

The civic reception and open-top bus parade are obviously funded by Newport City Council. This is a very small price to pay having regard to the benefits that Newport City will enjoy from having a team in the football league. Indeed I would go so far as to say that Newport City Council have done very little over the years to support Newport County. At the end of the last season the council made it clear that money would not be spent on upgrading the pitch at Spytty Stadium in order to bring it up to a satisfactory standard. Also I did not see much support from Newport council to Newport County in the lead- up to the promotion play off at Wembley. All this is in stark contrast to the money spent by the council in support of the Ryder Cup and the supposed financial benefit to the city. The national and international exposure at the time was huge but any benefits that might have resulted have now long gone.

Football league status brings national exposure to Newport on a weekly basis by way of newspapers and television and also money to the local economy from visiting supporters.

Michael Anderson St Brides Newport