MATCHDAYSWINDON TOWNMATCHDAY pilot · Bravedog concept
22 September 2026 · The County Ground

THIS IS
MATCHDAY.

SWINDON TOWNvNEWPORT COUNTY

The matchday briefing.

The team sheet.

Swindon Town

Formation 3-4-2-1
  1. 12 Lewis Ward
  2. 18 James Debayo
  3. 6 James Ball
  4. 34 Billy Kirkman
  5. 38 Lucas Griffiths-Brown
  6. 7 Tom Nichols (c)
  7. 14 Daniel Butterworth
  8. 2 Mitchell Clark
  9. 43 Freddie Hoare
  10. 22 Jaylan Pearman
  11. 29 Antwoine Hackford

Substitutes

8 Ollie Clarke · 15 Joe Hungbo · 24 Matty Virtue · 26 Dan Butler · 42 Josh Terry · 37 Charlie Summers · 44 Rory Da Costa

Captain: Tom Nichols · Lewis Ward in goal

Newport County

Formation 4-2-3-1
  1. 25 Jake Turner
  2. 2 Cameron Evans
  3. 12 Joe Thomas
  4. 34 Dan Sassi
  5. 17 Alfie Merritt
  6. 8 Matt Smith
  7. 40 Cole Jarvis
  8. 21 Tanatswa Nyakuhwa
  9. 36 Harri Pugh
  10. 20 Yahya Bamba
  11. 19 Gerard Garner

Garner up front · Nyakuhwa on the right

THE OPPOSITION

Newport in focus.

Newport County manager Hayden Mullins ahead of the 2026-27 season
IN THE DUGOUT

Hayden Mullins

The former West Ham midfielder took charge of Newport in July 2026. His side arrived at Swindon on a run of league draws and defeats.

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Before taking over at Newport, Mullins worked with the Fulham under-21s and managed Colchester United. Earlier coaching spells at Watford followed a playing career that included West Ham and Crystal Palace. For Town supporters, his touchline choices give the visiting team a story beyond the starting XI.

LAST FIVE BEFORE 22 SEPTEMBER · ALL COMPETITIONS

The form guide

NEWPORT COUNTYD · D · L · L · D
D 0-0 at Accrington 19 SEP
D 1-1 v Fleetwood 12 SEP
L 0-1 at Northampton 5 SEP
L 1-2 at Salford 1 SEP
D 2-2 v Tranmere 22 AUG
SWINDON TOWNL · L · L · W · W

At home again, Town were looking to respond to defeats at Salford and York. Earlier wins here against Colchester and Port Vale showed what they could produce at The County Ground.

NEWPORT COUNTY

Three to watch.

Newport County forward Gerard Garner
01 · CENTRE-FORWARD

Gerard Garner

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 EnglandAge 27
25Newport league apps · 2025-26
2League goals · 2025-26

A focal point up front who scored on his Newport league debut. Watch how he times his runs behind Town’s back line.

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Garner joined Newport from Barrow in 2025 and scored on his League Two debut for County against Notts County. At 1.88m, he offers an aerial outlet, but his role goes beyond crosses: he can drop to link with midfield and bring the wide players into the attack. Follow whether Town’s centre-backs can prevent him turning those touches into chances.

Tanatswa Nyakuhwa holding a Newport County shirt at Rodney Parade
02 · WINGER

Tanatswa Nyakuhwa

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 WalesAge 21
7Newport league apps · 2025-26
0League goals · 2025-26

A Newport-raised Cardiff academy player, direct on the flank. His movement creates space for the centre-forward.

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Born and raised in Newport, Nyakuhwa grew up watching County before moving through Cardiff City’s academy. A first loan spell at Rodney Parade in January 2026 was cut short by injury; he returned for a second season-long loan that September. The Wales under-21 international gives Newport a direct runner who can carry the ball from deep or attack space behind a defender.

Newport County forward Yahya Bamba
03 · WINGER

Yahya Bamba

🇫🇷 FranceAge 27
7Newport league apps · 2026-27
1League goal · 2026-27

A new arrival with pace in wide areas. Follow the spaces he finds when Newport turn defence into attack.

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Bamba arrived from Forest Green Rovers in June 2026. Before that, he scored 11 times in 50 appearances for Eastbourne Borough. Newport recruited him for his pace and versatility across the front three, so his starting position need not be where Town encounter him later in a move. Watch the width he creates and the gaps his runs leave for teammates.

THE VISITORS ARCHIVE

Previous encounters.

Official Swindon Town highlights preview for the February 2026 Newport match

Two goals in two minutes.

2-0

Fletcher Holman broke the deadlock after a counterattack. Joe Thomas’s own goal followed to secure Town’s home win.

WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS
Newport and Swindon action on 24 January 2025

A comeback away.

1-2

Harry Smith levelled at Rodney Parade and substitute Joe Westley struck late to give Town the win.

Read the match report

Kyle Hudlin put Newport ahead in the 13th minute, following up after David Ajiboye’s shot was saved by Jack Bycroft. Town responded two minutes later: Harry Smith volleyed in from the edge of the box. After the break, both sides had chances before substitute Joe Westley met Tunmise Sobowale’s low delivery to put Swindon in front. Newport pushed for a late equaliser, but Town held on to take all three points from Rodney Parade.

Somerton Park photographed in a later era

Where it began.

0-1

Town’s first recorded visit to Somerton Park ended in victory through Bertie Denyer’s goal.

Read the match report

In the first season of the Football League’s new Third Division, Swindon travelled to Newport’s Somerton Park on 21 October 1920. Bertie Denyer scored the only goal in a 1-0 away victory. Surviving records confirm the date, venue, result and scorer, but offer little detail about the play itself. It was the first league chapter in a fixture that has continued for more than a century.

NEWPORT COUNTY

Club legends.

Former Newport County striker John Aldridge
1979-84 · THE SOMERTON PARK YEARS

John Aldridge

Newport signed Aldridge as a 20-year-old in 1979. Fourteen goals in his first season helped County win promotion and the Welsh Cup, setting up the European adventure that took them to a Cup Winners’ Cup quarter-final.

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County’s ascent gave Aldridge the platform for a remarkable career. He left for Oxford United in 1984, later winning major honours with Liverpool and playing in Spain for Real Sociedad. He returned to Merseyside with Tranmere Rovers, where he became player-manager. For Newport fans, the story starts with a prolific young striker at Somerton Park and a side capable of taking on Europe.

Padraig Amond in Newport County colours
2017-21 · THE FA CUP NIGHTS

Pádraig Amond

Amond scored 24 times in 2018-19 and became the face of County’s cup runs. His penalty knocked out Leicester City, while goals against Tottenham and Middlesbrough added to Newport’s modern folklore.

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Arriving from Hartlepool in 2017, Amond gave Newport an instinctive penalty-box presence and a knack for the big occasion. He scored in every round of County’s 2018-19 FA Cup run as they reached the fifth round against Manchester City. The same season ended with a trip to Wembley for the League Two play-off final. His chapter shows how the club’s underdog spirit carried into a new generation.

CLUB CONNECTIONS

Played for both.

Current Town player
Dan Butler at Newport County’s 2018 end-of-season awards

Dan Butler

Defender · Swindon Town

Back at The County Ground on loan from Stevenage, Butler knows Newport from the inside. He was their player of the year in 2017-18.

3 Town league appearances0 Town league goals
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Butler joined Newport from Portsmouth in 2016 and became a fixture at left-back. He captained County on his 100th competitive appearance, collecting four awards at their 2017-18 presentation. A move to Peterborough followed in 2019; later came a spell with Stevenage, who loaned him to Town in September 2026. The Swindon league figures are before this Newport fixture.

A Town academy graduate
Swindon academy graduate Scott Twine

Scott Twine

Attacking midfielder · Bristol City

Town’s own academy product played on loan at Newport before returning to Swindon and scoring seven league goals in 2020-21.

50 Town league appearances8 Town league goals
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Twine made his Town debut as a teenager in 2017 and gained experience on loan at Chippenham, Waterford and Newport. Swindon recalled him from County in January 2021. His long-range strike against Ipswich became a standout moment in his final Town season. He moved on to MK Dons and Burnley, then joined Bristol City, where he was playing in the Championship in this edition’s season.

County captain
Defender Ryan Delaney

Ryan Delaney

Centre-back · Oldham Athletic

The former Newport captain signed for Town in 2024 and later returned to County on loan. He moved to Oldham in summer 2026.

21 Town league appearances1 Town league goal
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Delaney wore the Newport armband during the 2023-24 season, including their FA Cup tie with Manchester United. He joined Swindon the following summer and made 21 league appearances, scoring once in 2024-25. A January 2026 loan took him back to Rodney Parade for the rest of that season. He signed for Oldham Athletic in July 2026.

From Newport to Town
Midfielder Danny Rose

Danny Rose

Midfielder · now coaching

Rose scored 36 times in 165 appearances for Newport and helped secure the 2009-10 Conference South title.

29 Town league appearances1 Town league goal
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After coming through Manchester United’s academy, Rose joined Newport via Oxford United and became an important part of County’s rise. His later Football League career included Fleetwood, Oxford, Northampton and Portsmouth. He signed for Swindon in January 2019 and played until January 2020. After retiring, he became Head of Academy Coaching at Salford City.

TOWN PLAYER · TEN QUICK QUESTIONS

Quickfire with Louis Millard.

SWINDON TOWN · FORWARD · NO. 39Louis
Millard.
10 questions.
10 answers.

Favourite colour? Red, of course. Here’s the rest in Louis’s own words.

01

Who did you support growing up?

Unfortunately, it was Tottenham.

02

What’s your favourite colour?

It has to be red!

03

What’s your favourite TV series?

Breaking Bad isn’t too bad!

04

Name a hobby outside football.

I love a bit of padel.

05

Your proudest moment in football so far?

Scoring my goal against Port Vale at home under the lights.

06

Who is your best friend in football?

I’ll go with Lucas Griffiths-Brown.

07

If you could have a superpower?

Teleportation would be pretty sick.

08

Your favourite music artist?

I’ll go with Party Next Door.

09

Your go-to cheat meal?

I love a Domino’s meat feast with some cookies on the side!

10

Who was your footballing hero growing up?

Ronaldo.

PLAYER PICKS · FIVE-A-SIDE

5-a-side dream team.

SWINDON TOWN

Aaron’s five

SWINDON TOWN · MIDFIELDER

Player in profile.

Anthony Munda, Swindon Town midfielder on loan from Newcastle United
ANTHONY MUNDA · MIDFIELDER · NO. 27

The new face in midfield.

On loan from Newcastle United, Munda arrived at Town in August. He set up a goal on his league debut against Cheltenham, then won the penalty that helped turn the Colchester match in Town’s favour.

27Town shirt
20Years old
1Assist on his league debut
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Munda joined Newcastle United’s academy aged nine and represented England at under-18 level. A season-long loan brought him to Town in August 2026. His first senior start came against Cheltenham, when he set up Aaron Drinan’s opener and played all 90 minutes. He later won the penalty against Colchester as Town came back to win 3-1. He gives the midfield a player willing to receive the ball and drive into the box.

07 / VIDEO CHALLENGE

The crossbar challenge.

Preview frame from a football crossbar challenge videoTHE CROSSBAR CHALLENGE
▶
MAKE YOUR PICKS TO PLAY THE FILM
MATCHDAY GAME · VIDEO UNLOCK

Call it before you watch.

BUILD UP · FAN GAMES

Make your call.

BEFORE KICK-OFF

Call the score

THE FIXTURE · TEN QUESTIONS

Know your Newport?

01 / 10

Score: 0 / 10
SPOT THE BALL · MATCH ACTION

Where did the ball go?

Choose A, B or C on this January 2025 Swindon-Newport action photograph. The original frame appears after your pick.

Swindon and Newport contesting the ball; the ball has been removed for the challenge

Choose a letter on the image.

Domino’s pizza
DOMINO’S × SWINDON TOWN · MATCHDAY REWARDS

Score more. Get more.

Town score: 10% off · Town win: 10% off + free side · Town score 3+: 20% off

Campaign preview · rewards activate from kick-off in a live edition
JERSEY MIKE’S TROPHY · SOUTHERN GROUPS

Tonight’s other matches.

  1. Group E
    Plymouth ArgylevCrystal Palace Under-21s
  2. Group A
    Cheltenham TownvExeter City
  3. Group B
    Leicester CityvFulham Under-21s
  4. Group B
    WalsallvStevenage
  5. Group D
    Luton TownvIpswich Town Under-21s
  6. Group D
    Peterborough UnitedvColchester United
  7. Group G
    GillinghamvCambridge United
  8. Group H
    BromleyvBrentford Under-21s
  9. Group H
    Milton Keynes DonsvCrawley Town