Newport County return to action this Saturday afternoon (12:30pm) as they welcome Swindon Town to Rodney Parade for their next Sky Bet League Two clash.
The Exiles head into this match following a 4-1 defeat on the road to Chesterfield. Looking to end their winless run, Newport County will be eager to put in a strong performance against one of League Two’s most inform teams.
Opposition Focus
Swindon Town currently sit second in League Two, just one point behind leaders Walsall. The Robins boast the division’s most potent attack, having netted 21 goals in their first 10 matches (an average of 2.1 per game). Their defence has also held firm, conceding only 13 goals so far.
This represents a marked improvement on last season, when Swindon finished 13th. Having been in League Two since their relegation from the third tier in 2020–21, the club now looks to carry their strong start forward and re-establish themselves in League One.
Ian Holloway—appointed in October last year with the club embroiled in a relegation fight—has played a central role in the turnaround. Drawing on his Premier League pedigree and vast managerial experience, Holloway guided Swindon to mid-table safety and has since reshaped the squad and instilled renewed confidence across the club.
The summer of 2025 saw Swindon recruit wisely to strengthen key areas. Experienced centre-back Ryan Tafazolli arrived from Wycombe Wanderers to add leadership and solidity to the defence, while striker Ollie Palmer joined from Wrexham to provide another proven goal threat alongside Aaron Drinan. The Robins also secured the services of creative winger Billy Bodin, bringing flair and versatility to the attack, and midfielder Darren Oldaker, who impressed at Chesterfield, to bolster the heart of the midfield. These additions have given Holloway both quality and depth, helping to fuel Swindon’s early-season promotion push.
Head-to-Head
Newport County and Swindon Town have a long standing history of fixtures that stem all the way back to the 1920s. The two sides have faced each other 98 times, Swindon have the edge in the overall head-to-head, winning 46 of those games, while Newport have won 31, with 21 draws between them.
The first meeting between the clubs came in the 1920 season, when they faced off in the Division Three (South). On that occasion, Swindon Town came away from Somerton Park with a 1-0 win thanks to a goal from Bertie Denyer.
Memorable Encounter
One of the most memorable clashes between the two sides came in January of the 2019-20 season, when Newport County secured a 2-0 victory at Rodney Parade.
The Exiles made a dream start, opening the scoring inside the first minute. Josh Sheehan latched onto a flick-on from Jamille Matt inside the box and showed great composure to slot the ball past Steven-Andreas Benda.
After a relatively quiet remainder of the first half, Newport struck again almost immediately after the restart. This time Matt turned goalscorer, firing home from close range to seal a comfortable win for the Exiles in South Wales.
Shared Shirts
Scott Twine has represented both clubs during his career. A product of Swindon Town’s academy, he broke into the first team in 2017 and went on to make over 59 appearances for the Robins, earning a reputation for his creativity and long-range shooting. In January 2019, he joined Newport County on loan for the remainder of the season, playing 24 times and helping the Exiles reach the League Two play-off final at Wembley.
