Running man Ben Lloyd is tap-dancing on Newport’s Yellow Brick Road in a bid for soccer stardom.
The borrowed Swansea City youngster was County’s spot-kick hero last Saturday as fancied Gillingham were dumped out of the Emirates FA Cup First Round after a titanic struggle at Rodney Parade.
Mr Cool Lloyd rifled home the winning penalty in a dramatic shoot-out with the scores tied at 3-3, this after the tie was locked 2-2 after extra time. The triumph, County’s fourth in five encounters, has booked a next stage TV date at Boreham Wood on a Sunday in early December.
The cameras of BBC Two and TNT Sports One will be in south Hertfordshire for the tie and that’ll suit young linkman Lloyd is grabbing a loan stint at Newport to showcase his skills, demonstrating fluidly in a diamond midfield structure.
The Wales U-21 cap is making tentative steps along an amber path which saw the careers of Arsenal and England right back Ben White and Bournemouth’s £50m raider Antoine Semenyo flourish via Newport loans, through the past mist which rises from a meandering Usk.
And Lloyd, honed from solid Swansea stock, reflected, “Newport gave me an opportunity to play in the Football League and to sample football other than at U-21 level. Of course, I did wonder that the leap would be like. But I soon found out how good the club’s training facilities are [at the University of Wales Sports Park, Treforest] and how special the supporters and atmosphere is at Rodney Parade.
“I couldn’t be working with a better group of lads, not to mention the input the gaffer [David Hughes] and Hats [Wayne Hatswell] have made helping me.”
Former England skipper Sir David Beckham and Frank Lampard had worthwhile loan spells at Preston and Swansea City three decades ago and grounded Lloyd, said, “Yes, loans can be so beneficial. Perhaps they take you out of any comfort zone.
“I am contracted to Swansea until summer 2027 and I am a Swans fan. But now I am totally focussed on doing everything I can for Newport County, I love the club and I will not betray the faith shown in me. I want to stay in the first team.”
Boss Hughes this week highlighted the 16km Lloyd clocked up and his overall astonishing athleticism in the terrific win over Gillingham earlier this month.
Modest Lloyd smiled, “Yeah, but don’t forget that was over 130 minutes, taking into consideration extra and additional time. But I suppose fitness reflects my habit of being asleep by 22.30 in a night and keeping a balanced diet of chicken, pasta and the right consumption of carbs and protein.”
Lloyd, still only 20, sees his old school mates out in the neon city lights while he is tucked up in bed.
He reflected, “I owe a lot of people so much at this time. My family have given me so much encouragement, dad used to take me everywhere as I chased my dream of becoming a professional footballer. Now I have the gaffer and staff at Newport, including Scott [ Wickens, Head of Performance, Newport County] to thank. You have to sacrifice to succeed don’t you?”
Much debt was repaid when Lloyd’s breathtaking spot-kick dumped Gillingham out of the cup recently.
He beamed “When I scored, it was my best moment in football so far. Walking up for the kick is something I’ll never forget. I told myself, ‘You’ve taken hundreds in training before. Just keep cool, strike it hard.
“The goals never shrunk and the Gillingham keeper didn’t get any bigger, but it was a wonderful feeling when the ball went into the net. My best ever in football, so far.”
