A BAND of Newport County AFC fans are hoping to raise £2,000 for an anti-bullying charity after releasing a new single which we'll be hearing soon on the terraces at Rodney Parade.

Johnathan Morgan, 31, of St Julians, is a season ticket holder at County, and has got together with a group of friends to form Tinty & The Bucket Hats.

Their new single - Up The Football League We Go - will help raise funds for Kidscape, a children’s anti-bullying charity, with each sale.

Mr Morgan said: "During the start of February, there was a post on social media about how a young child took his life due to bullying.

"As a primary school teacher and a father, it struck a chord with me how this is an issue that is not being fully addressed.

South Wales Argus: The band's second charity single cover

The cover of the single

"Having a passion for music and being an avid Newport County supporter, I set about combining the things I love to create a fight against bullying. We created a ska punk band whose sole purpose would be to raise support and fundraiser for Kidscape, who are a partner of Newport County."

Tinty & The Bucket Hats formed in February. The other members are Andrew Davies, Matthew Bartlett, Kristian Jones, Johann Jones, Morgan Rees and Harold Flynn. Mr Davies and Mr Bartlett are also County season ticket holders.

Mr Morgan said: "We have two charity singles out as well as a Just Giving page. We have a range of fundraising merchandise from t-shirts and pin badges to professional paintings and artwork.

"We are aiming to raise enough funds to provide every primary school and youth centre in Newport with anti bullying workshops to support the community by 2023. Our target is anything over £2,000."

He said they chose ska as it is "a soulful movement about fun and community."

South Wales Argus: Tinty & The Bucket Hats rocking out during the filming for their music video at Rodney parade

Tinty & The Bucket Hats rocking out during the filming for their music video at Rodney Parade

He said: "It’s listened to by County fans on the buses to games so it felt fitting to ensure the music was tailored to them. As well, we enjoy it too!"

The inspiration behind Up The Football League We Go - aside from Status Quo classic Rockin' All Over the World - came from a fellow County fan who said Mr Morgan should come up with a chant for the team moving up the football league.

The keen County fan said: "We’re going straight up, why can’t we be allowed to believe. Play-offs or automatics, County are going up this year!"

County are currently sitting seventh in League 2, which is just inside the playoff positions.

They are playing Crawley at Rodney Parade on Friday and Tinty & The Bucket Hats will be there playing their two singles plus some cover songs before the game in the marquee at the ground.

The band's Just giving page can be found at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/tatbh1

To listen to the song go to tintyandthebuckethats.bandcamp.com/track/up-the-football-league-we-go

And to download the song for 99p, which will go to the charity, go to open.spotify.com/track/6PvMmd66ujuLpFNItmKFqE?si=HHrnynRWT1OHg4A1wT__9g