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Newport County: League Two fixtures 2023/24 provide some crackers
After Scunthorpe, Oldham and Sutton it is Accrington Stanley’s turn to entertain the Exiles on opening weekend.
Fixture release day leaves some cold – ‘we play 23 teams, home and away’ – but others can now start plotting trips.
READ MORE: Full fixture details as County start on the road
Here are five clashes to look forward to in the 2023/24 campaign…
Forest Green Rovers (away) – Saturday, August 19.
Thank goodness that the Gloucestershire side got relegated to join County in a very northern League Two.
The shortest trip of the league campaign and that should ensure a sizeable Amber Army in Nailsworth.
It could be a feisty dugout when Graham Coughlan locks horns with Duncan Ferguson, something that didn’t happen when the Scot was suspended for Everton’s FA Cup win at Plymouth in 2005.
There have been some great tussles with Rovers through the years with the pick the dramatic play-off semi-final win in torrential rain featuring Kevin Ellison’s wonderstrike and Nicky Maynard’s last-gasp winner.
Swindon (away) – Saturday, October 14
Not the shortest trip this season but arguably the best due to proximity, size of the opposition club and fanbase, plus now there is the Michael Flynn factor.
Last season’s fixture was sadly moved from a Saturday to a Tuesday because of the death of Queen Elizabeth.
This time the encounter is pencilled in for an autumn weekend with County hoping for a repeat of 2022 when Finn Azaz sent a packed away contingent wild at the death.
Wrexham (away) – Saturday, December 23.
How are you spending the last weekend before Christmas? Perhaps pick up some presents from the services on the way back from Wrexham.
The first Welsh derby (if it can be called a derby when there are 100 miles between the grounds as the crow flies) and it’s up north for round one.
County last played at the Racecourse in the FA Cup in 2018 when a goalless draw led to a convincing 4-0 win in the Rodney Parade replay.
The Exiles might be more settled in the Football League courtesy of their 2013 promotion – who did they beat in the play-off final again? – but this will be a Goliath versus David encounter.
Unlike Stockport last season, who left themselves too much to do after heading up from the National League, big-spending Wrexham will hope to be right in the promotion mix by December.
County will want to be in a stronger position than 2022 when they were 18th and still looking over their shoulders heading into Christmas.
Wrexham (home) – Saturday, January 20.
There will be relief at County that this fixture is not the following weekend when FA Cup participation could have led to a postponement.
They will, however, have their fingers crossed for a mild January because this should be a money-spinner.
Wrexham will surely sell out the away end and the Exiles should be pushing for their biggest non-cup crowd for seasons.
This is a massive commercial opportunity for the club when they need every penny – a big crowd, the potential of Hollywood owners in the Bisley Stand (they probably won’t go in the uncovered temporary south stand with the away fans) and an important three points on the line.
The Wrexham game should certainly give a boost to half season ticket sales.
Bradford (away) – Saturday, April 27.
It still seems mad that County are going up against Bradford in League Two but the Bantams have failed to escape the fourth tier.
Who knows what the mood will be like on this season finale but the Amber Army will hope to at least be heading to Yorkshire with Football League status secure.
Bradford will be desperate to enjoy a promotion party but that will be tough when up against the likes of Stockport, Wrexham, Notts County and perhaps Mansfield, MK Dons, Doncaster, Grimsby, Gillingham amongs other.
Whatever the state of play, Valley Parade is a terrific ground and last season’s game was played in front of 16,704 punters (171 Newport).
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— Newport County AFC (@NewportCounty) June 22, 2023
