NEWPORT County AFC don’t yet have a boss but they do know their schedule for the upcoming League Two season.
The Exiles will get under way with their shortest trip of the league campaign when they travel to Cheltenham on August 10.
READ MORE: County's 2024/25 fixtures in full
They play 23 clubs home and away, with sadly no meetings with Wrexham or Forest Green Rovers, but here are five encounters that are the pick of the bunch…
CHELTENHAM (away, Saturday, August 10)
County haven’t started a league campaign on home soil since drawing with Mansfield in 2019.
They are on the road for the fifth time on the spin but, after Scunthorpe, Oldham, Sutton and Accrington, this time it is a short jaunt.
Cheltenham are back in the fourth tier after being relegated on the final day of last season and they have had a change in the hotseat with former Exiles boss Michael Flynn calling the shots.
He enjoyed one win and a draw against County when with Walsall then masterminded a convincing 2-0 win in Swindon last season.
Flynn will want to keep that unbeaten record going while he won’t be the only old boy looking to get one over the Exiles.
Left-back Ryan Haynes has headed for Whaddon Road along with County legend Scot Bennett, who will be keen to show Huw Jenkins that he still has plenty left in the tank after not being offered acceptable terms to stay.
The Amber Army are sure to pack out the away end and will hope to see their team avoid a ninth successive defeat.
The last time Newport suffered such a miserable streak was when going out of the Football League in 1988.
DONCASTER (home, Saturday, August 17)
A first home game for the new boss and a repeat of last season’s first league game in Newport, when Graham Coughlan’s side got off to a tremendous start.
Fresh from stunning Charlton in the Carabao Cup, the Exiles eased to a 4-0 win over a shambolic Rovers side.
Donny turned around their fortunes in remarkable fashion to make a very late charge into the play-offs where they suffered penalty shoot-out despair against Crewe in the semi-finals.
The Yorkshire side are likely to be one of the contenders for promotion, meaning it will be an early test of the new-look Exiles’ credentials.
NOTTS COUNTY (away, Saturday, November 23)
There will be nothing particularly spicey about this encounter but it’s an important one for the Exiles after the way they performed against the Magpies.
Notts were the best side that County played last season yet their defensive frailties meant they finished in a disappointing 14th.
The Magpies, with their possession-based style, put the Exiles to the sword home and away with Jodi Jones the chief tormentor on both occasions.
Newport will aim to show themselves in a better light in the East Midlands – and, after a Tuesday night date in 2023, a Saturday presents a great opportunity to go to a wonderful and historic ground.
BROMLEY (away, Thursday, December 26)
We knew that it would be an away game on Boxing Day after the Dragons were given a home derby against Cardiff in the United Rugby Championship.
A trip to Cheltenham would have led to many venturing out but plenty of the Amber Army will reluctantly give this one a swerve.
The date means that it will be supporters coach or car rather than public transport to Hayes Lane Stadium, and at least the M25 should be quieter.
County will hope to repeat their 2010 triumph in Bromley when Dean Holdsworth’s side took a giant step towards the Conference South title with a 3-2 win thanks to goals by Paul Cochlin, Charlie Henry and Sam Foley.
SWINDON (home, Saturday, January 25)
Pencil this one in your diary – it could well move.
The Swindon fixture is one of three that clash directly with Dragons games in the United Rugby Championship at Rodney Parade.
Dai Flanagan’s side are down to host Munster on this January Saturday while Chesterfield on October 19 and Bradford on February 15 clash with Benetton and Glasgow.
EFL rules dictate that County have primacy of tenure but moves – to the Friday or even switching around the home and aways – are likely for the football games.
Whatever the date, the Swindon encounters are ones to look forward to and the Exiles will hope for an occasion to match last season.
Fresh from giving Manchester United a scare, Graham Coughlan’s side had Rodney Parade rocking with a 2-1 win thanks to goals by Will Evans and Seb Palmer-Houlden.
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