Newport County secured their place in the Blue Square Premier by beating Havant and Waterlooville 2-0 on Monday night.

With an expectant crowd of 4,221 at Spytty Park, Sam Foley netted twice to secure County's promotion to the very league in which the original club folded 21 years ago.

It was an emotional night for many Newport County fans who have seen their club rise from the ashes of the Ironsides who ignominiously went bust in February 1989.

After becoming only the second club to suffer automatic relegation from Division Four in 1988, County’s attempt to survive in the Football Conference ended in failure as the club was expelled for failing to fulfil their fixtures and the bailiffs moved into Somerton Park.

County fans refused to let their club die and in June 1989 Newport AFC was born - a fan led club which took its place in the Hellenic League - four divisions below the Football League - and the long journey back began.

However football politics dictated that the journey would be far from easy as they fought both Newport Council and the Football Association of Wales (FAW) for the right to play in Wales.

Firstly the club were exiled in Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire as Newport Council claimed the club were liable for the old Ironsides' debts and refused them permission to play at Somerton Park.

They eventually returned to their old home in 1990 but only for two seasons as the FAW's insistence that Newport enter the newly formed League of Wales meant the Exiles were exiled once again.

A long and drawn out High Court battle against the FAW ensued, and following the club's victory which meant they were allowed to stay in the English pyramid, they returned to Newport.

However the old Somerton Park had been demolished during their exile so the club made their new home at the newly built Spytty Park stadium.

In 1999 another historic decision was taken as the fans voted to add 'County' to their name once again as the club became Newport County AFC.

County Highlights

For many football fans, Monday night's victory and promotion to the Football Conference sees the story come full circle as the phoenix club returns to the league where the original club went bust.

However, for County fans, this is just the beginning as they push to see their club return to the Football League and the return of the good old days of Tommy Tynan, John Aldridge and Carl Zeiss Jena.