Christian Doidge joined Newport County in July 2026, returning to his home city after signing from Forest Green Rovers on a free transfer. The experienced striker brings more than a decade of senior football experience across England, Wales and Scotland, as well as a proven goalscoring record at EFL and Scottish Premiership level.

Born on August 25, 1992 in Newport, Doidge began his footballing journey with Southampton and Bristol Rovers before moving into senior football with Carmarthen Town. He scored 20 goals in 48 appearances for the Welsh club before moving to England, where he joined Dagenham & Redbridge in 2014.

After loan spells with Dartford and Forest Green Rovers, Doidge joined Forest Green permanently in 2016. He enjoyed a prolific spell with the club, scoring 56 goals in 105 appearances and helping them achieve promotion to the EFL for the first time in their history. His goalscoring form earned him a move to Bolton Wanderers in 2018 before he returned to Forest Green.

In January 2019, Doidge joined Scottish Premiership side Hibernian. He scored 37 goals in 120 appearances for the Edinburgh club and also gained European experience. He later spent the 2022-23 season on loan at Kilmarnock before returning to Hibernian.

Doidge returned to Forest Green Rovers in January 2024 and made 18 League Two appearances during the second half of the 2023-24 season. He continued with the club in the National League during the following campaign, scoring 12 goals in 41 league appearances during the 2024-25 season.

During the 2025-26 campaign, Doidge made 19 National League appearances for Forest Green Rovers, scoring once. He also featured in the National League Cup and play-offs as Forest Green reached the end of their campaign.

Doidge now returns to Newport as a vastly experienced striker, having made more than 500 senior appearances and scored more than 160 goals during his career. His record includes more than 100 goals in English football and 42 goals during his time in the Scottish Premiership.

Standing at 1.88 metres (6'2"), Doidge provides a strong physical presence in attack and is known for his aerial ability, intelligent movement and clinical finishing. His experience allows him to act as a focal point for the attack while bringing teammates into play and creating opportunities around the penalty area.

A Newport-born forward returning to represent his home-city club, Doidge will now look to make his mark at Rodney Parade and help Newport County compete in League Two during the 2026-27 season.

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