LOYAL Newport County fans coughed up £1,500 so their hard-up team could get a night's sleep in a hotel ahead of today's crucial clash with Cambridge City.

A group of supporters raised the cash in four days in a bid to help relegation-threatened County beat the drop.

The players spent last night at a hotel near their opponents' ground to prepare properly for their last away match of the season.

County - who usually travel to away matches on the same day - are just two places above the relegation zone and lost 2-1 on Tuesday to Farnborough.

But team manager Peter Beadle said: "It is a massive boost for me and the players to stay overnight and the supporters paying for us shows how committed they are to the club.

"We want to reward their loyalty and know the best way is on the pitch with a good performance this afternoon."

More than 20 players and management stayed at the 3-star Green Man Hotel in Old Harlow last night.

A single room there costs £34.

It has been dubbed their 'lucky hotel' as they had lunch there before a draw at Bishop's Stortford and stayed there last week before the win at Histon.

Then, the club paid the fee, but money is tight and County simply cannot afford to pay for an overnight stay for every away game.

So determined to give his team the edge, County supporter-director Rob Santwris (pictured) began the appeal to raise the money on the club's internet message group and dozens of pledges of £25 soon came flooding in.

The members of the club raised an additional £200 and manager Beadle, his assistant Scott Young and backroom staff members Bobby Morris, Tony Gilbert and John Fitzgerald also chipped in.

Mr Santwris said: "This is a club that formed because of the fans and this shows the commitment we as supporters have to the club.

"It makes a massive difference to the preparation for the match for the manager and the players not have to set off really early today to make sure they get to the ground in time.

"This way everyone gets time to relax and unwind before the game and hopefully can help the club to get the win it needs."

The names of all the supporters who have contributed will go into a draw tonight and the winner will get to travel to a game with a guest on the team bus next season.