Who’s your favourite all time County player? Whose name did you have on the back of your shirt? Whose poster did you have on your wall?
We’re looking for a County Classic XI - the greatest, most legendary players to ever pull on the Amber jersey and we need your help!
Each week, club Historian Andrew Taylor will be picking his top four County players for each position and we’ll be putting it to a vote on our Official Twitter Account. The squad so far can be found at the end of this page. This week we’re searching for our Right Back and here’s the short list:
Who’s your favourite all time County player? Whose name did you have on the back of your shirt? Whose poster did you have on your wall? We’re looking for a County Classic XI - the greatest, most legendary players to ever pull on the Amber jersey and we need your help!
Each week, club Historian Andrew Taylor will be picking his top four County players for each position and we’ll be putting it to a vote on our Official Twitter Account. The squad so far can be found at the end of this page. This week we’re searching for our first Centre Back and here’s the short list:
Steve Aizlewood
Commonly known as ‘Basil’, Aizlewood grew up by Somerton Park and made his debut when still at a schoolboy studying at Hartridge High School. He signed for County in 1966 and turned Pro in 1969 aged just 17. He played for Welsh Schoolboys and even made a handful of U23 Wales appearances. He became a County legend with over 200 appearances and even chipped in with the odd goal from time-to-time. Aizlewood left County in 1976 through financial necessity more than anything else. The club were offered a massive record fee of £13,500 from Swindon Town which was too much to turn down.
Keith Oakes
Keith signed from Peterborough for a record fee at that time in September 1978. He scored 34 in close on 284 games and was Captain throughout our historic 1979/80 ‘Season of Triumph’ (when County won promotion and the Welsh Cup). During that year, he was also selected in the PFA Team of the Year. Oakes continued his captaincy through the following season’s European Cup Winner’s Cup run when County reached the Quarter Finals. A player revered not only by supporters but by his own team mates.
Gary Warren
The demise of Team Bath in 2009 saw us sign Gary Warren. He made an immediate impact to the defensive line and to the team’s on-field leadership. He was quickly named captain. He is widely credited with much of the success of the 2009/10 season as County were crowned Conference South Champions with a record 103 points (28 points ahead of second-placed Dover Athletic). In May 2012, he proudly led us out for the FA Trophy Final in our first appearance at Wembley.
Ray Wilcox
Ray Wilcox is a player that very few will have had the pleasure to witness playing but most County fans will know the name. Wilcox joined Newport County in 1939 and found his first few seasons understandably interrupted by World War Two. Despite that, by the time he retired from playing in 1960, Wilcox had made 546 appearances (and won a war) in his time as a County player. After leaving the field, Wilcox became the club’s Trainer before finally leaving entirely in 1970 having given the club over 30 years of faultless dedication.
Many people at the time strongly felt that, had he joined a side at a higher level, then he would have been a regular in the Welsh National Team but he remained loyal to County. His dedication has never been forgotten and he was so long serving and popular he received two 'Benefits.'
Voting for the first centre back will close on Saturday 25th February and we will begin the search for a Centre Back on Sunday 26th February.
Please vote via our Twitter poll.
COUNTY CLASSIC XI
Goalkeeper - Mark Kendall
In 1980, Kendall became County’s club record signing as he joined the Exiles from Spurs for a whopping £45,000. He went on to make 347 appearances for Newport County AFC over the next six years and was most notably part of the ’82-’83 side which very nearly achieved promotion to Division 2. He was an incredibly popular man on and off the field and after retiring from football, he joined the Gwent Constabulary.
He tragically collapsed and died in in 2008, aged just 49.
Right back - David “Dai” Williams
A member of the Hall of Fame, David joined County from local team Nash United and went on to make 332 appearances for The Exiles. Not only was he an excellent player, Dai also went onto fulfil almost every role in the club including Physio and Coach. In 1988, he was appointed Manager and was even the club’s director when The Exiles were reformed in 1989/90.