NEWPORT’S new head coach Craig Warlow has outlined the need for a new culture at the struggling club after a nightmarish season.

Black and Ambers supporters have had precious little to cheer about for several abject years and Warlow confessed “our fans deserve so much better” after taking the reins.

The former Newport Gwent Dragons and Llanelli outside half has been tasked with reviving the great club’s flagging fortunes by the Rodney Parade hierarchy following long-term supremo Sven Cronk’s departure in March.

The club have spent almost the entire season at the bottom of the Principality Premiership table and are fortunate that the Swalec Championship will be won by runaway leaders Bargoed, otherwise they could well have been relegated this year.

Runaway leaders, the Rhymney Valley side could wrap up the title early this weekend if they beat Merthyr at home with Swansea almost certain to finish second.

Unbeaten Bargoed are unable to be promoted because of stringent criteria set out by the Welsh Rugby Union but the All Whites would have been eligible to go up.

Newport end their horrendous campaign by hosting Aberavon on Sunday and their league record this season makes painful reading – played 21, won four, lost 17.

On Wednesday night, the Black and Ambers went down to an embarrassing 36-0 defeat at Sardis Road to a Pontypridd side, chasing a treble double of Premiership and Swalec Cup titles, who barely had to get out of second gear to secure a bonus point win.

One man undaunted by the trials ahead is Warlow, backs coach under Cronk’s tenure, who is calling for a new ethos.

Starting by talking about that heavy loss to Ponty, he said: “I didn’t really expect that. We went there and gave them far too much respect – they didn’t even play well to get their convincing victory.

“Our body height in all facets of the game was wrong and we didn’t do the basic things well at all.”

Talking about the need for fresh philosophy, he added: “I think the club has been accepting those kinds of standards for far too long and things have really got to improve.

“Every little detail has got to get better. But I feel invigorated by the challenge ahead and I am definitely optimistic about the future.

“We need to improve the quality of our application and have greater depth to our squad.

“Newport is a fantastic club and one I think that has done too much for its players in recent years. We need to have a far better work ethic. Our fans deserve so much better.”