Newport County AFC has announced Henry Howard Finance as the club’s official Academy partner.

The development will see the company’s name on all the playing kit and training kit for the Junior Academy all the way through to the Senior Academy and the Newport County AFC Ladies team.

Mark Crook, managing director of Henry Howard Finance, said: "We are delighted to forge an official relationship with Newport County AFC in the form of Academy partners. The company is a Newport-based business and as we are expanding in the area and our workforce is from the locality, with many Newport County fan, it seems only natural to give something back to the community."

County chief executive Dave Boddy said: "The club is extremely pleased to welcome Henry Howard Finance on board as our latest partner. They mirror our philosophy of an ambitious and forward thinking entity and the business has supported the football club in previous seasons so we are delighted to cement this relationship."

Henry Howard Finance is the latest in a growing list of County partners. They join Sytner Newport (Automotive Partners), the Monmouthshire Building Society (Financial Services Partners), Nation Radio (Radio Partner), Macron (Technical Partner), South Wales Argus (Media Partner), Parkway Hotel Cwmbran (Hotel Partner), Specsavers (Community Partner) and Cardiff University Sport (Training Ground Partner).

The club has also confirmed that supporters' group the Smile Council is to play an active role in both the fundraising and organisation of the club’s Junior Academy.

Steve Rose, Smile Council committee member and father of former County star Danny Rose, said: "As a supporters' group we are excited to be involved in the sponsorship of the Academy. We believe that the development of this area of the club is key to future success and want the experience to be a positive one for the players and their families."