EBBW Vale supremo Marcus Russell has defended his astonishing ban on Newport backer Tony Brown, whose own chairman hit back today.

Brown was barred at the gates of Eugene Cross Park on Friday night and forced to watch his club's 32-22 derby victory from a nearby pub.

Newport chairman David Watkins said today he is shocked that "rugby could sink so low" after Vale took action following Brown's support for the Gang of Six proposals which would effectively sound the death knell for The Steelmen.

The anger at the proposals was echoed by Caerphilly on Saturday who refused to attend an after-match dinner following their defeat by another of the gang members, Llanelli.

But Vale chairman Russell stands defiant, saying: "There was quite a simple reason behind banning him (Brown). If someone is trying deliberately to close your business down by any means necessary then you have to bring to people's attention who is responsible.

"We singled out Tony Brown because in getting rid of Ebbw Vale, it means he will in rugby terms have the whole of Gwent to himself."

His brother Paul Russell had earlier said: "We refused Tony Brown entry for the same reason Winston Churchill would not have allowed Hitler to come to dinner."

When the Newport team were told what had happened after the game they refused to attend the post-match formalities and, amid increasingly acrimonious scenes, went straight onto the coach with Brown and Watkins to gather at a pub on the way back to Newport.

"I didn't think rugby could sink to such depths," stormed Watkins. "This wasn't about rugby, it was humiliating and embarrassing.

"When Tony walked to the gate the heavy mob said 'you can't come in.' I went to find their directors, but they were all hiding away.

"My first thoughts were not to play the game, so they would have had to refund everyone, but Tony was discreet and didn't want confrontation so he walked away.

"I've had people telling me they have followed rugby for 20 years, but they would not go in the club afterwards.

"People in the pub where we watched the game were apologising. Ebbw Vale were ill advised and this will haunt them for a long time."

But Marcus Russell pointed out: "We wrote to Tony Brown in plenty of time and we made our feelings felt, but he chose to come and turn Friday night into a publicity stunt."