IT SEEMS as though a Midlands football club has a whole host of new fans in Newport thanks to a little divine help.

For Newport priest and Coventry City fan Father Joe Breidenback has spread the word about the team to help bring it some success.

This includes encouraging his congregation at St Patrick’s Church on Cromwell Road to say a prayer or two for the Sky Blues.

This seems to be paying off with the team recently having an unbeaten run in December and being mid table in the Championship.

Father Breidenback, 53, has been a supporter for the last 40 years and tries to get in a few parallels to the team in his Sunday sermon which he said the congregation enjoys.

He said: “It’s only in a light-hearted way but if we were in an important match I wouldn’t hesitate.”

The Rosminian priest said many members of the congregation now take an interest in how Coventry are doing, even Newport County fans and those who do not particularly support anyone.

“A lot of people look at the results and commiserate or congratulate me,” he said.

He hopes it can bring the Sky Blues some luck as the club has not won anything since 1987 - its first trophy in more than 100 years.

But Father Breidenback said their prayers might have been misdirected or misheard because it is local team Newport County who have really done well, securing promotion to the Conference a few weeks ago.

This streak of luck for local teams seems to have followed the priest around in all his jobs since joining the ministry 20 years ago.

While working in Cardiff, the Bluebirds picked up in the league and got to Wembley and local team Charlton Athletic also did well when he worked nearby.

His work for Coventry City has been admired by the club itself with the priest recently receiving a letter and signed team photo.

Father Breidenback said: “It thanked me for spreading the word, for trying to convert people in South Wales and for spreading the good news in the difficult land of rugby. It was lovely.”

But he did not always start off as a Coventry City Fan.

Seeing the likes of George Best on television inspired him to follow Manchester United.

“I started off being a Manchester United supporter until my best friend, who was a Coventry City supporter, said come along to a game. I went along and was hooked.”