NEWPORT County AFC will be watching the price of fuel with interest ahead of a season of long journeys in League Two.

The Exiles’ fixtures will be announced at 9am on Thursday, June 23 to reveal some painful trips in a division that has become very northern.

County have lost encounters with promoted Forest Green Rovers, Exeter City, Bristol Rovers and Port Vale plus relegated Oldham Athletic and Scunthorpe United.

In their place come the relegated quartet of Crewe Alexandra, AFC Wimbledon, Gillingham and Doncaster plus National League champions Stockport County and play-off winners Grimsby Town.

It seemed inevitable that the Mariners would take the spoils at West Ham’s London Stadium on Sunday – the Lincolnshire side edged out Solihull Moors.

The West Midlands club would have been County’s third shortest trip at 99 miles but instead they will go 237 to Grimsby’s Blundell Park.

South Wales Argus:

The Exiles will be tested by life on the road in 2022/23 with only Swindon a short journey.

The drive to Walsall – 98 miles and just under two hours with a bit of luck – will seem like a little jaunt in comparison to most of the treks.

Northampton’s Sixfields is the only other destination that is, on a good run, reachable without a service station stop.

County will rack up 8,277 miles travelling to and from League Two games in the coming season, with hopefully no late postponements in bad weather to add to the tally.

The consolation is that the division isn’t stopping for the World Cup so they will avoid as many midweek trips as clubs higher up the pyramid.

The Exiles are the league’s most western side, Crawley are the most southern, Colchester the most eastern and Carlisle the most northern.

Last season County’s tally was 7,556 miles.

The luck of the draw meant that they also had away trips at Ipswich in the Carabao Cup, Morecambe in the FA Cup and Swindon in the EFL Trophy.

The flip side means that County have also lost a lucrative clashes with near rivals - Bristol Rovers and Exeter sold out their away allocations at Rodney Parade - and fans with long trips may choose not to head for Newport.

RETURN DISTANCE
Swindon – 119
Walsall – 196
Northampton – 256
AFC Wimbledon – 274
Sutton – 280
Crewe – 288
Tranmere – 310
Stevenage – 314
Crawley – 314
Mansfield – 322
Stockport – 344
Leyton Orient – 352
Salford – 362
Gillingham – 364
Doncaster – 376
Rochdale – 382
Colchester – 422
Bradford – 432
Harrogate – 454
Grimsby – 474
Barrow – 522
Hartlepool – 558
Carlisle – 562
TOTAL: 8,277
(Distances calculated on Google maps, quickest suggested route)