Newport County play their first fixture in the EFL Trophy as they travel to the Nigel Eady County Ground to face off against Swindon Town.
This will be the first time that these teams face off against each other this season, with County looking to progress out the group stages.
Here is everything you need to know about our opponents.
The Opposition
Swindon finished ninth last season as they narrowly missed out on a playoff spot, finishing three points behind seventh-place Chesterfield.
The Robins had a successful FA Cup run last season as they made it to the third round, beating Bolton Wanderers and Rotherham United before being knocked out by Salford City.
However, Swindon could not progress past the first round of the EFL Cup as they suffered a 2-1 defeat to Cardiff City.
So far this season, Swindon are 13th as they have won three out of seven league games. The Robins have also been knocked out of the EFL Cup in the first round by Cardiff, losing 3-2.
The History
Swindon Town was founded in 1879, with the club turning professional in 1894.
The same year the team turned professional, they joined the Southern League and initially played in black and white.
The Robins saw their first major cup run during the 1909/10 season as they made the semi-finals of the FA Cup but lost to Newcastle United.
Swindon first entered the Football League in 1920 and became a founding member of the Third Division. In their first game of the season, they beat Luton Town 9-1.
After decades of staying in the Third Division, the Robins finally won promotion in 1963 as they finished second in the league.
A few years later, Swindon won silverware as they defeated Arsenal in the League Cup, which is their only League Cup to date.
However, after many managerial changes, Swindon had been relegated to the Fourth Division in 1982, but by 1987 they climbed their way back into the Second Division.
The Robins eventually made their way to the Premiership as they beat Leicester City 4-3 in the play-off final. However, Swindon would only remain in the Premiership for one season, as they would concede 100 goals and be relegated.
Swindon would then be relegated to League Two in 2006, where they have since made their way back to League One multiple times but currently find themselves sitting midtable in League Two.
The Manager
Ian Holloway is the current manager of Swindon.
Holloway has had a lengthy managerial career, managing the likes of Crystal Palace, Millwall, Leicester City and Blackpool.
The Englishman has managed over 1000 games during his career, where he has most recently won 400 games as a manager.
Holloway has also had much success, as he has won the Championship playoffs twice, as well as many manager of the month awards, with his most recent being awarded to him in January 2025.
Ones To Watch
Aaron Drinan finished as League Two’s top goal scorer last season, and he has continued this season where he left off, scoring five goals in eight games. Drinan will be looking to add to his goal tally, with the striker scoring a hat-trick in his last home appearance.
Another player to watch in the middle of the pitch is Jack Thomson. Thomson has already provided an assist this season, and he also plays well up the pitch, creating plenty of chances. The midfielder can also be a defensive threat, intercepting loose balls and putting in challenges when needed.