NEWPORT County AFC centre back Mickey Demetriou had a fuller plate than many during lockdown with his son Alfie arriving just eight weeks ago.

The Exiles' favourite is now a father of two and he explained that, such was the harmony and togetherness at the club, it made even bringing a new life into the world during a global pandemic something which was manageable.

"Alfie's eight weeks old now, we’ve had a lot of time together," he said.

"I’d say lockdown helped, because it allowed us to get everything ready for it."

Demetriou, also father to oldest son Theo, said that having other new fathers around him at Newport County was another way for the squad to bond.

"Me, Robbie (Willmott) , Podge (Amond) and Bakes (Ashley Baker) all have new arrivals. There’s four of us," he said.

"It’s quite nice. Obviously everyone’s buzzing around being first-time parents which is nice to see.

"They’re enjoying it as much as I have for the last three years. Now I get to do it all over again."

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The close-knit bond enjoyed by Michael Flynn’s squad is something which has come to the fore over the past few seasons, especially during County's forays in the FA Cup.

"With four new dads we’ve got even more experience to share with each other," said Demetriou.

"Everyone parents in a different way, so it’s nice to learn from everyone else. I’m sure there will be more new dads in the future.

"You always learn from each other and it’s just nice to hear the experiences that they’re sharing.

"We’ve all been talking to each other through the lockdown, just to make sure everyone’s ok."

He admitted that the prospect of Alfie arriving during lockdown was a worrying one.

However, after praising the work of staff at the Royal Gwent Hospital for their help during the birth, he recognised that the challenges in terms of the football club were far from over.

"Everyone knows that League Two football doesn’t have the money that there is in the Championship and the Premier League so everyone worries," he said.

"Even League One clubs, there are a few worried about going bust.

"It’s not just football.

"It’s the whole world which is worried about losing jobs.

"I know a few people who have been made redundant, which is sad to hear.

"Hopefully everyone will be able to get back to some form of normality as soon as they can."

Despite the anxieties, Demetriou was thankful to have had the opportunity to spend an extended amount of time with his growing family.

"You don’t normally get to have that throughout the season,"he said.

"I saw only Theo and Amy for about five months.

"She was probably happy to see another face as she probably got bored of me for that long.

"Now I’m ready to go back to work and enjoy my football again."

He admitted that getting back out onto the pitch for training after all that time off made him feel as though he was starting out on his footballing journey again.

"It was that first day of pre-season. It was like starting football all over again," he said.

"There are only so many road runs you can do during lockdown.

"It was brilliant to see all the lads again."