IN the midst of the twice-yearly festival of over-inflated buying and selling that is football’s transfer window, and with a frankly ludicrous spat over one club spying on its opponents showing no sign of abating, comes a simple act of kindness.

Newport County AFC’s announcement this week that it will contribute 50 per cent of the cost of the official supporters’ coach travel to the FA Cup fourth round tie at Middlesbrough next weekend, is a welcome sign that the so-called Beautiful Game hasn’t lost its marbles completely.

Laments that clubs and the football authorities are losing the vital connection with fans come thick and fast these days, particularly in the lofty heights of the Premier League.

Ticket prices and awkward kick-off times - the latter a symptom of the game being increasingly in thrall to big spending broadcasters - are regular complaints, while some of the wages being paid to players by their clubs are often subject to derision, disgust and disbelief.

If I had £1 for every time someone uses the phrase ‘market forces’ to justify such excess, I would be a rich man - rich enough, perhaps, to buy a football club.

Alas, or maybe thankfully, I’m not. That being the case, I welcome any evidence I can find to indicate that football isn’t quite yet sitting down to eat itself.

In Newport County AFC’s gesture to its fans, I have it - and the fact it comes from a club with a small budget, that is nevertheless prepared to share some of the largesse from its Cup run with its supporters, makes it all the sweeter.

The trip to Middlesbrough is a long one, and the club will need all the support it can muster for yet another stern test.

After this gesture, it thoroughly deserves more success.