All Newport County's transfer activity from January window

The Exiles suffered a horrendous start to 2021 when loan star and prime attacking threat Scott Twine was recalled by Swindon Town, promptly followed by influential central defender Brandon Cooper.

Those two painful departures set the tone.

“I can’t wait for this window to be finished – it’s been the worst one since I have been a manager,” said Michael Flynn before deadline day.

“It has been non-stop phone calls, losing out on players, thinking that you have got a player and it not happening. It has been chaotic.”

The chaos continued with striker Nicky Maynard signing on loan from Mansfield just before the deadline after a dash to complete a medical.

Flynn brought in eight players – Jack Evans, Jake Scrimshaw, Luke Gambin, Anthony Hartigan, Dom Telford, Priestley Farquharson, Maynard, Aaron Lewis – but didn’t get the lift he was hoping for in the promotion push.

The task for his predecessor James Rowberry, who was appointed in mid-October, was an easier one once he didn’t suffer the same fate with influential loanees.

Swansea’s Ollie Cooper and Aston Villa’s Finn Azaz, two key cogs in County’s pressing game and creative sparks, will finish the season in Newport.

So will Liverpool’s Jake Cain, a young midfielder who has shown real signs of progress in recent weeks.

County also didn't have to deal with interest in 20-goal striker Dom Telford with Rowberry able to add to his squad after first doing some trimming.

MOVE: Chris Missilou has returned to Oldham after leaving County

THE EXITS

The first departure happened in December when Chris Missilou was released.

The midfielder has since returned to Oldham Athletic to try and help the Latics in a bid for their own great escape from relegation.

The 29-year-old came off the bench in the 3-0 loss at Harrogate on January 22 and started the goalless draw against Rochdale on Saturday. He could return to Rodney Parade a week on Saturday.

Midfielder Ed Upson has also stayed in the division after swapping Newport for Stevenage; he has played four times (one start) to help his new side climb away from trouble.

Forwards Jermaine Hylton and Jordan Greenidge were released with the latter moving to Weymouth. He has made three starts but is yet to get off the mark for the National League strugglers.

“I said from the start that we have got a big squad, something that I felt we could reduce,” said Rowberry in January.

“That's something that I have pushed for and that gives us a chance to bring in two or three players to add a different dimension to us.”

SOLID: On-loan Coventry defender Josh Pask has made an encouraging start to life in Newport

THE ARRIVALS

County were keen to add pace to their defence and managed that with the signing of centre-back Josh Pask on loan from Coventry.

He started in the 4-0 win over Harrogate and 1-0 success at Scunthorpe, when he was forced off in the closing stages by a knee injury.

Pask played with strapping in the 1-0 victory at Leyton Orient but missed Saturday’s 2-1 win against Barrow with Rowberry revealing a scan was needed.

That County didn’t make a late move shows that the news was good.

A second arrival made a debut against Harrogate with James Waite coming off the bench for a lively half hour.

The attacking midfielder joined from Penybont on an 18-month deal to be reunited with Rowberry, his former coach at Cardiff City.

Waite came on for a very brief cameo at Scunthorpe and was an unused sub against Orient and Barrow.

Striker Rob Street was the final man to join, signing on loan until the end of the season from Premier League Crystal Palace.

The 20-year-old made a promising debut as a sub against Barrow, when he should have won a penalty after being man-handled in the box.

Rowberry described the striker as “old school” and he is highly-rated by the Eagles after being included in their matchday squads against West Ham and Chelsea at the start of the season.

The Exiles now have six loanees – Cooper, Azaz, Cain, Pask, Street and Fulham forward Timmy Abraham – but only five can be named in a matchday squad in League Two.

LOAN: Joe Woodiwiss is getting game time with Merthyr (Image: Huw Evans Agency)

OUT TO DEVELOP

County have also sent some of their young prospects out on loan to experience senior football while still being able to train with the first team.

Defender Joe Woodiwiss has headed to Merthyr, left-back Louis Hall is with Gloucester, midfielder Lewys Twamley joined Salisbury and striker Ryan Hiller has gone to the Cymru Premier with Cardiff Met.