TONY Brown is back on the Newport Gwent Dragons board and has been joined by Celtic Manor chief executive Dylan Matthews.

This bombshell news will reverberate around Newport and the whole of Gwent, for the presence of such a pair will lift the profile of the Dragons sky high at a stroke.

Brown is revered in the area after the way he revitalised Newport in the late 1990s and early 2000s on and off the field with his marketing and ability to bring world stars like Gary Teichmann, Shane Howarth and Percy Montgomery to Rodney Parade.

Fans should not expect big sums of money to be poured in or quite the same high profile as before but Brown has put £2 million towards the new stand that is currently being built at the Parade.

And while Matthews, the son of billionaire Gwent businessman Terry Matthews who brought the Ryder Cup to the Celtic Manor, says he is not putting money in his very presence, along with Brown’s, will be huge boost.

New Dragons chief executive Mike Jenkins said: “Tony and Dylan have both been invited on to the board and both have accepted.

“Tony is involved in the financing of the new development at the ground so it seems an opportune time for him to come back on board.

“Dylan is a fan, he’s not a white knight. He’s not putting money in but is bringing skills that will complement this very experienced businessman in the leisure industry. He will be a great asset.

“Tony has got fantastic presence, he is an icon at Newport and his presence will be a great fillip.

“This will freshen up the board, bring in some new ideas and demonstrate that we are looking to develop the business.”

And Jenkins added significantly: “We will continue to consider further changes to the board on the basis that an individual will add value and further contribute to the success of the board.”

The return of Brown and arrival of Matthews could not come at a better time after a difficult period when the Dragons lost all six Heineken Cup pool games for the first time, are struggling in the Magners League and relieved coach Paul Turner of his duties pending a hearing into disciplinary matters.

However, the team showed immediate signs of a recovery when they shrugged off all their recent troubles to secure a victory in an English stronghold by beating Sale 28-20 in the LV Cup at Edgeley Park on Friday.

It was an act of sheer defiance as they stormed into a 28-3 lead, scoring all their points without any reply and then withstood a huge fightback as Sale scored three tries themselves in the final quarter.

Now the arrival of Brown and Matthews will lift confidence in the camp enormously and show the rest of Wales and beyond that the Dragons do possess some substance.

Brown is a very successful, wealthy businessman loved by the fans at Rodney Parade – he began his reign by selling programmes on the bob bank – and he poured millions of his money into attracting top players from around the world to Newport.

He has retained a firm friendship with Dragons chairman Martyn Hazell and the Parade faithful will be ecstatic to see him back.

EDITORIAL COMMENT: Dynamic duo boost for Dragons

THE arrival of Tony Brown and Dylan Matthews on the board of Newport Gwent Dragons is fantastic news and will lift the profile of the rugby region at a stroke.

For the pair are two of the best known businessmen in the area, Brown owning the nationwide Bisley Office Equipment company with a factory in Newport employing several hundred people and Matthews chief executive of the Celtic Manor which staged a wonderful Ryder Cup tournament only a few months ago.

Their presence will bring the feelgood factor back to Rodney Parade and rugby in Gwent generally.

There is no doubt the bush telegraph will be working overtime once fans get to know about our exclusive story, for if there is one thing that will put them on cloud nine it is the very mention of the name Tony Brown.

For he is still held in high esteem for the way he took up the cudgels at Newport RFC a decade ago and brought in a number of world renowned players.

Peter Rogers was the first, followed in rapid succession by Gary Teichmann, the biggest of them all, Andy Marinos, Shane Howarth, Jason Jones Hughes, Simon Raiwalui, among others, and a while later Percy Montgomery, too.

Brown took the fans on a roller-coaster ride and they loved him for it. He is still a revered name in these parts.