Drama in their blood - Newport's latest escape act

Newport County could have done without another one of those stressful, frantic final days of the season - but they just could not help themselves.

This club does not do things simply. Strangers to the straightforward, drama is in their blood.

There was the Great Escape of 2017, the original version 40 years earlier and, in between those Houdini-like acts, the club went out of business entirely in 1989, only to reform and rise again.

With all that in mind, it should come as no surprise that the Exiles gave their fans another almighty scare at Barrow on Saturday.

But for the 1,000 or so who made the arduous journey to Cumbria, this was still another white-knuckle ride on the County express.

For much of this season, Newport had looked like they would be losing their Football League status again.

Before this weekend's long trip to face League Two's bottom side, they had spent 25 of the campaign's 45 matchdays in the relegation zone.

The extraordinary, last-gasp 3-2 win over Oldham a week earlier meant the Exiles' fate was in their own hands: win at Barrow and they would be safe.

But of course, they had to make hard work of it. With 15 minutes left, Newport were staring into the abyss, 1-0 down and heading for relegation.

Then came the latest heist, first with substitute Tom Davies' equaliser and then in the 83rd minute, Bobby Kamwa - scorer of two goals in their helter-skelter Oldham triumph - struck a superb winner to send the travelling supporters into raptures.

"It's indescribable," Newport manager Christian Fuchs told BBC Sport Wales on the pitch at Barrow.

"You've got to be here to see what it means to the players, to the fans, to the community.

"It's incredible what the boys have achieved after being written off and then coming back in such a manner and finishing off with back-to-back wins.

"It's incredible and I have goosebumps all over my body."

Image caption,

Bobby Kamwa scored all five of his goals this season in the final two months of the campaign

Victory at Barrow came exactly 10 years after a Leicester City team featuring Fuchs won the Premier League title in one of the greatest sporting upsets of all time.

"It's like we've won the league," the Austrian added of Newport's celebrations at Barrow.

"But that's what it means to the fans. It's very high [in Fuchs' career achievements].

"You get to know the players, you get to know a lot of people and I'm just very pleased for them."

It will be a while until the euphoria subsides for Fuchs, his players and the club's fans.

But once the celebrations are done, Newport will face a significant summer to ensure they do not find themselves in this same situation again in 12 months.

The Exiles have been in decline for years, and they need to buck that trend.

After losing the 2021 League Two play-off final to Morecambe at Wembley, the Exiles finished 11th, 15th, 18th and 22nd in the table, before this season's 20th place.

Considering their wage bill is among the smallest in the division, that is arguably to be expected.

Yet former Swansea City chairman Huw Jenkins did not see it that way when he took a majority shareholding in Newport two years ago.

Having guided the Swans from the brink of fourth-tier relegation to the Premier League, Jenkins had hoped to rekindle some of that magic at Rodney Parade.

That has not happened yet. He has spent £3m of his own money to stabilise the club and, as the losses keep coming, Jenkins has been open about the need for new investment.

Various potential takeovers have been mooted in recent months, with most seemingly dependent on whether Newport were able to secure their League Two survival.

Now they have managed to do that, County can prepare for the summer with more hope.

Fuchs signed what was described by the club as a "long-term contract" when he was appointed last November, with the Exiles bottom of the table.

Having since led them to safety, the 40-year-old will have a say in Newport's latest rebuild.

Once he's had a chance to savour this latest escape act, that is.

"I think they've shown in the last 10 games what they're capable of doing, some really good performances," Fuchs said of his team's hopes for the future.

"We have to reconsolidate, review the season, analyse it and see where we need to better ourselves.

"But right now it's about enjoying the moment."

Figure caption,

Christian Fuchs:'It is incredible what the boys have achieved'