It was the wording of the article on the website rather than the actual event that caught my eye.

“Newport End 25 Year Football League Exile”

That’s a quarter of a century. It is a life sentence in all but name. I guess to those bleary eyed South Welsh men waking up this morning it will feel like the end to the longest stretch.

United fans had to wait nearly that long, from ’67 to ’93, to win the top division again. I am confident Liverpool’s wait for the same honour will now bridge three decades. This, though, is the football supporting equivalent of enduring the harshest drought to be ultimately rewarded by the richest and most bountiful harvest.

It is gratifying to see a proper football club with history, tradition and a loyal fan base as opposed to some fly-by-night tin pot outfit funded by an Abramovich wannabe and a thousand band wagon jumpers on a ego-jolting jolly (Yes, Fleetwood, Crawley, Rushden & Diamonds; this is you…) achieve promotion back into the 92 league clubs. Congratulations to Newport on this magnificent achievement.

20130506-094401.jpg
Salvation! County fans celebrate their return to the football league. My pal, his lad, brother and mates are in there somewhere…

To my mate Welsh Andy; I say old boy; Tally Bally Ho! Those plastic Welshmen took one hell of a beating. Jolley well played, I am delighted for you sir.

20130506-094603.jpg
Is it? Could it be? It bloomin’ is you know! Front of picture, ex-Spurs cult (although I could have one of the consonants wrong there) hero, now County manager, Justin Edinburgh leads the celebrations.

Which all, rather conveniently although a tad gloomily, brings me to Monday’s Big Question. Will my lot, the unhappy Hatters have to wait longer than County to become a football league club again?