Newport County

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With Newport County fighting to avoid relegation from League Two, we asked fans what they think is needed during the January transfer window.

Here are some of the replies.

Carl - We need a striker, midfielder and a defender. Here's wishing we have given ourselves a chance but we need some new blood if we are to beat the drop. Simple as.

Jon - A creative midfielder and an enforcer [Joss] Labadie-style to accompany him. Up front? A goal scorer, a player who scares the opposition and excites the fans. Get our wingers down the flanks and get the crosses in. Defence now falling into place, just need to take the game to the opposition from the off and keep the fans entertained!

Morris - Clearly an experienced striker is needed. Obviously this is going to be expensive but failure to sign someone will probably lead to relegation. The defence is adequate as is the midfield. A striker is essential.

Mark - Priority is a striker that knows where the goal is. Not someone who scores one in 62 games. Goals win games. Defence is fine.

Terry - Firstly, as they did with on-loan Cardiff City striker Michael Reindorf, Newport must get rid of those unwanted players classed as 'driftwood.' Then comes the need for experience because taking an 18/19-year-old on loan from a Premier League club will not help at all.

Adam - We are in desperate need of some experience in the middle and some firepower going forward. I would like to see us bring in three or four players in this window to strengthen our chances in the relegation scrap.

Dan - There's a promising midfielder currently on loan at Chesterfield I think could help the side... the name's Sammy Braybrooke.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, Huw Evans Agency

As Newport County fight to avoid relegation from League Two, we are asking fans what they think is needed during the January transfer window.

The Exiles, managed by ex-Premier League winner Christian Fuchs, are two points away from safety with 22 games remaining.

Which players would you like to see recruited - and in what positions - and should some others leave?

Tell us your views by clicking here.

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Michael Reindorf's loan spell at Newport County has been cut short with the striker returning to parent-club Cardiff City.

Reindorf joined the Exiles on a season-long deal last summer.

But the 20-year-old will now head back to the Bluebirds having scored once in 22 appearances during his spell with League Two strugglers Newport.

Reindorf, who has made four senior appearances for Cardiff, has not scored since Newport's opening game of the season and his most recent appearance was in early December.

Newport said they wished Reindorf "every future success".

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Former Wales striker Iwan Roberts believes Newport County have given themselves a chance of survival in League Two as a result of their recent improvement under Christian Fuchs.

The Exiles took four points from a possible six from their home double header with Barnet and Crewe Alexandra after Christmas and pushed leaders Bromley on New Year's Day, but ultimately lost 2-1.

They no longer sit at the bottom of the EFL and are just two points adrift of safety at present.

"When you're bottom of the league, that's your first target, get to second from bottom," Roberts told the Feast of Football podcast.

"When you've done that, it's then third from bottom and to start building momentum, start climbing up the league and putting some distance between you and the bottom two."

On Newport's loss to Bromley, Roberts added: "To go there and perform like they did, they got a late goal but just didn't have enough time to get an equaliser... but to go toe-to-toe with the best team in the league up to now, that should only give them confidence going into the second half of this season.

"I think they've got a chance now. They'd won three points in their previous 11 games before the four they got over the Christmas period, they got that first home win, so that takes a massive load of pressure off.

"They know what they've got to do, they've got to score more goals. They could do with bringing some more bodies into that forward area.

"It has been all doom and gloom, and I was worried for them, and I'm still worried for them, but I do think they'll be all right now."

Newport will have to do without Sammy Braybrooke for the remainder of the season after the Leicester City man's spell at Rodney Parade came to an end, with the influential midfielder instead joining Chesterfield on loan.

And Gillingham forward Sam Vokes - who has come up against Newport twice this season - feels Braybrooke's departure represents a huge blow.

"We've played them twice this year, he was the standout player for Newport from what I saw," said Vokes.

"I thought he was very good and I'm not surprised he got a move. I was quite surprised he didn't get a chance in a league above."

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Christian Fuchs insists Newport County can compete with Bromley when they travel to face the League Two leaders on New Year's Day (15:00 GMT).

Bromley have stormed to the top of the table on the back of nine wins in their past 10 league games, while Andy Woodman's team have not lost a fourth-tier fixture at Hayes Lane this season.

But Newport lifted spirits as the climbed off the bottom of League Two thanks to Monday's 2-0 win over Crewe Alexandra.

The victory was the first under Fuchs in his eighth game in charge, and the Exiles' first in the league at Rodney Parade since March.

Fuchs says "everything is possible" for Newport as they to try to build on the Crewe triumph at Bromley.

"It's going to be a big challenge for us definitely – [it is] away as well, which doesn't make it easier," the former Leicester defender said.

"Our mentality is we go into a game to win the game. If at the end we have the three points, great. But at least we want to give everybody a fight."

Simon Stone
Manchester United reporter

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Manchester United are cutting short two of their young players' loan stints and are ruminating over a third.

Defender Sonny Aljofree has already come back from League Two Notts County, while England youth goalkeeper Elyh Harrison will also leave Shrewsbury.

Aljofree made 11 appearances, including 10 starts for Notts County at the start of the season but the 21-year-old has not featured since the end of September.

Harrison started the campaign as first choice at Shrewsbury, making seven appearances, but also lost his place in September.

The 19-year-old was on the bench for Monday's defeat at Grimsby and United's intention is to bring him back to the club.

Discussions are continuing over the short-term plan for 20-year-old defender Habeeb Ogunneye, who has made 21 appearances in all competitions for League Two strugglers Newport but has not featured since the FA Cup defeat at non-league Boreham Wood on 7 December.

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Newport County manager Christian Fuchs says it is "time to build the momentum" after his first win in charge of the League Two club.

The Exiles had lost four and drawn three all-competition games under the Austrian before Tuesday's 2-0 home victory against Crewe Alexandra.

Newport's fourth league victory of the campaign saw them move off the bottom of the table and just one point away from rising out of the relegation zone.

"When you look at the last six games that we played, we had two losses but we also had three draws and six points overall, so there's a lot of good things happening here," said Fuchs, declaring himself proud of his side's performance.

"They stuck together, they stayed patient off the ball, they did their job really well and then were always waiting to break them."

The 39-year-old former Leicester City defender was particularly pleased with back-to-back clean sheets in the league for the first time this season, having also played out a goalless draw with Barnet at Rodney Parade on 26 December.

"Everybody was like, OK, against Barnet, a clean sheet - top, right? And today, you felt it coming somehow and you should not forget we have two clean sheets against teams that are way higher up the table than we are, and we just played really well," added Fuchs.

"The boys believe in themselves. I think now we've built the confidence, and it's time also now to build the momentum."

County face an even bigger challenge next with a New Year's Day fixture away at second placed Bromley.

However, it remains unclear whether he will be able to call on the services of Sammy Braybrooke and Nathan Opoku for the trip to south east London.

Initial loan deals for the two Leicester City players expire on 31 December but Fuchs is hoping they can be extended.

"We'll find out very soon," he said.

"A player like Sammy Braybrooke obviously is a top player for us and an ambitious player as well. So we'll see what's going to happen. We definitely want him here."

The 21-year-old former England age-grade international, who scored his second goal in three games in the victory over Crewe, has said he is keen to stay at Newport into 2026 to help in the fight against League Two relegation.

Opuku, who was a late substitute in Tuesday night's victory, is also keen to stay according to the County boss.

"Nathan wants to be here definitely. I think today he's shown again he comes on and he's right away a threat for the opposition," said Fuchs.

"He's just stirring it up and has very good movement off the ball. He's very creative, he's just a threat in behind as well.

"So Nathan, I hope we will see him here again in 2026, a similar situation, it's going to be resolved over the next two days."

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Newport boss Christian Fuchs is confident that he can "turn the season around" despite still searching for his first win as manager.

The Exiles come into a busy festive period having only picked up two points in Fuchs' first five games in charge, with County still firmly rooted to the bottom of League Two.

"It's been a little bit of a rollercoaster, to be honest. A rollercoaster of emotions", said the Austrian, reflecting on his first month in charge.

"We've had some really good performances where I definitely think we could've walked away with more points overall and then there were some moments that were not good at all."

Newport are still looking for their first home win since their 3-0 victory against Harrogate in March, a run that will reach 286 days if they fail to win against Barnet on 26 December.

"Since I came in what we've worked on most of the time is building confidence" said Fuchs after being asked about Newport's home form.

"The boys have low confidence, maybe things don't go so well or don't come off so well the way they would when they're full of confidence."

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Newport County's League Two game at Swindon Town is to be played on Wednesday, 11 February (20:00 GMT) after the original fixture was postponed because of the Robins' progress in the FA Cup.

The Exiles had been due to go to the County Ground on Friday, 9 January, but Swindon will be in cup action at Salford that weekend.

Despite the new date, Newport's trip to Swindon will be shown live on Sky Sports as planned.

Swindon have had an impressive season so far, they are currently 2nd in League Two and through to the third round of the FA Cup after beating League One side Bolton Wanderers 4-0 on 6 December.

Newport have not enjoyed the same kind of success, they are bottom of League Two and were knocked out of the FA Cup after losing 3-0 to Boreham Wood two weeks ago.

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BBC Sport asked Newport County fans their festive wishes this Christmas for the struggling League Two side.

Saturday's 4-1 defeat at Colchester United means Christian Fuchs' side are still bottom of League Two - five points from safety.

Here's what County fans are asking for this Christmas:

Rob: Points.

Mark: I'm so frustrated. It's so obvious what needs to be done but [Chairman] Huw Jenkins is like a ball and chain dragging us down. He is the worst chairman County have had. Self inflicted wounds. Incredible.

Carl: We are where we have no money. Let's give the younger element a go, they can't be any worse than what we have at the moment. Let's hope the new year fairy gives a couple of players, it's hard to keep your spirits up with the trap door ever creaking and open ajar but we have made the great escape before - albeit not as good as the movie - fingers crossed and praying.

Joe: We replaced an inexperienced manager with an equally inexperienced manager and got the same result. We needed someone to create a siege mentality at the club and get the team to dig in. I fear the worst.

Kevin: All I want for Christmas is a new owner.

Jim: We are desperate now Jenkins has to gamble in January.

Image source, BBC Sport

Newport County's new boss Christian Fuchs is still waiting for his first win in charge after they were outclassed by Colchester United.

Saturday's 4-1 defeat at the JobServe Community Stadium means the Exiles have picked up just two points from his first five league games in charge and remain anchored firmly at the foot of League Two.

The former Austria and Leicester City defender also oversaw a 3-0 FA Cup second round loss away to non-league Boreham Wood.

An established wisdom in football is that the appointment of a new manager usually creates a temporary 'bounce' in performances and results - have Newport fans been able to see any indications of recovery so far?

A criticism levelled at former boss David Hughes was that he lacked experience as a first-team manager, but is the appointment of Fuchs a departure from that?

Should there be more patience as Fuchs tries to turn things around, or has the club ownership merely replaced like for like and must now look in another direction?

Is the fault instead with the current playing squad and is an emergency overhaul needed when the January transfer window opens?

With a busy festive period abut to kick in, Newport host mid-table Barnet on 26 December (15:00 GMT) before another home game against promotion-chasing Crewe Alexandra the following Monday (19:30 GMT).

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