HE’S related to Newport County AFC royalty and now Aaron Lewis intends to write himself in Exiles folklore at Wembley.

The versatile defender is set to be a key figure in the League Two play-off final against Morecambe after having a mightily impressive second half of the season.

If the 22-year-old goes well then he could help County’s current crop reach the third tier of English football for the first time since 1987.

That would be another notable feat in Newport for the family with Lewis being the nephew Ken Morgan, who was inducted into the club’s hall of fame in 2009, three years before he passed away.

The Munich air disaster survivor scored 46 goals in 141 appearances for the club between 1961 and 1964, setting the bar exceptionally high for the man who is set to bomb down the right flank at Wembley.

“It’s quite a lot to live up to! It’s nice to have someone in your family with a link to the club,” said Lewis. “I’ve got a long way to go to live up to Kenny, but promotion wouldn’t be a bad start.”

South Wales Argus:

The wing-back is one of the County players who looks destined for a higher level regardless of the result at Wembley.

However, it took Lewis time to show his class in amber after initially being a fringe figure when on loan from Lincoln.

The former Wales Under-21s international made a solitary appearance against Leyton Orient before returning to his parent club in January.

Lewis was released by the Imps and opted to return to Rodney Parade on a deal until the end of the campaign, a decision that was vindicated when Liam Shephard was suspended and then Ryan Haynes suffered a groin injury.

“I felt that at Newport there was a route for me to develop,” said Lewis, who will sort out his future post-Wembley. “Our wing-backs were playing unbelievable, so I couldn’t have too many complaints about missing out.

“I was confident that if I kept working hard and got myself ready then I would be able to take my chance when it came. Luckily it did and I have kept my spot.

“I think that is the same throughout the squad and we saw at Forest Green when Kevin Ellison, Joss Labadie and Nicky Maynard came on and scored that we have quality throughout.

“Everyone is ready to go when needed and that is credit to the whole squad.”

South Wales Argus:

Lewis’ form meant that manager Michael Flynn was forced into a rejig – three into two doesn’t go, so Shephard was converted to the right of the defensive three.

It also means that he is likely to make his Wembley debut as a starter rather than on the bench.

“I know quite a few of the boys have played there but it’s a new experience for me and I am looking forward to it,” said Lewis.

“It’s a bigger pitch and that should suit our style of play while the occasion will be great – our fans will be loud if the game at Rodney Parade was anything to go by, it was hard to believe there was only 900 of them.

“With 4,000 we will have plenty of noise to feed off and it would be great for us to get the win for them.

“It would be great for them to be in the league above when crowds come back properly after the way that they have followed us all season.”

South Wales Argus:

Lewis is an attacking threat, both with his feet and with long throws, but will have to be on his game defensively against a Morecambe side that love to counter.

He is set to play down the right and the Shrimps’ star of the season has been Carlos Mendes Gomes down their left.

For Lewis it’s a case of worrying about himself: “We look at the opposition and see what they are good at, but at the same time we know that we are hard to stop if we are on the top of our game.

“I look at how the opposition play but I don’t get myself too worked up – if I am playing as well as I can then I am not too worried about who I am up against.”