Newport County return to League action this Saturday (19 September) as the Exiles travel north to face Accrington Stanley at the Wham Stadium.
County will be on the hunt for their first away win of the season with both teams also hoping for their second win in the campaign.
Here’s everything you need to know about our opponents.
The Opposition
Accrington finished in 16th place last season, finishing 14 points away from relegation as the Reds lost three of their last five matches.
The Reds were able to progress past the first round of the FA Cup after Gainsborough 2-1 away from home but were eliminated by Mansfield Town on penalties in the second round.
Accrington also made it through to the second round of the EFL Cup after beating Oldham Athletic in a preliminary round and Peterborough United in round one. But Doncaster Rovers would win 2-0 in the second round to eliminate the Reds.
This season, Accrington currently sit in 21st, as they sit just one point away from relegation.
The History
Accrington Stanley Football Club was formed in 1968, although it is known that this is the reformed team of then, Accrington Stanley.
Two years after the reformation of Accrington was when the club found its home as they moved into the Crown Ground.
Many years after forming, Accrington were to be given hundreds of thousands of pounds due to a sell on clause that they put on Brett Ormerod when they sold him to Blackpool. This amount of money would help the Reds with their meteoric rise to the Football League.
The 2003/04 season saw the Reds play in the Conference League for the first time in their history, with the side finishing tenth in their first season as well as reaching the third round of the FA Cup.
In 2006, Accrington finally made it to the Football League as they were promoted to League Two, finishing the season on 91 points.
Accrington remained in League Two for over ten years as they narrowly missed out on promotion multiple times. But an investment from Andy Holt in 2015 helped improve facilities and keep the club going.
Three years later, the Reds would be crowned champions of League Two and would finish in 14th place in their first season in League One.
However, in 2023, Accrington returned to League Two, where they have since been unable to regain promotion back to League One.
The Manager
The current manager of Accrington is John Doolan.
Doolan has been at the Reds since March 2024 and has managed 123 games for the club, in which he has recorded 36 wins.
The Accrington manager also has experience coaching with Wigan Athletic, Hibernian, and Rotherham.
Doolan was part of the coaching staff when Accrington won League Two in 2018 and was also the assistant manager of Hibernian when they won the Scottish Cup.
Ones To Watch
Charlie Caton brings an attacking force to the Reds, as he has scored five goals in six league appearances. Caton will be looking to continue his hot form at home, with four out of his five goals coming from inside the Wham Stadium.
Another player to look out for is Josh Woods. Woods is a very versatile player who can play as a number ten or a number eight but has also been utilised as a winger. So far this season, the Englishman has recorded two goals and an assist, with one goal and one assist coming from his last three appearances.