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| Newport County bus parade for Football League success | Newport County bus parade for Football League success |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Thousands of Newport County fans have celebrated the team's return to the Football League after 25 years, cheering on an open-top bus parade. | |
| The club, known as the Exiles, secured their place in League Two after beating Wrexham 2-0 at Wembley in Sunday's Conference play-off final. | The club, known as the Exiles, secured their place in League Two after beating Wrexham 2-0 at Wembley in Sunday's Conference play-off final. |
| Wednesday evening's parade of players included a civic reception. | |
| A framed scroll congratulating the side was presented to them by Newport's mayor at their Rodney Parade home. | A framed scroll congratulating the side was presented to them by Newport's mayor at their Rodney Parade home. |
| The parade started as rain gave way to sun and cheering fans waving amber and black fans lined the route. | The parade started as rain gave way to sun and cheering fans waving amber and black fans lined the route. |
| The players left Rodney Parade on the bus at 18:00 BST - applauded by about 500 supporters - and drove to the civic centre via George Street Bridge. | |
| Police at the ground estimated that around 3,000 people would be lining the route through the city. | Police at the ground estimated that around 3,000 people would be lining the route through the city. |
| Lifelong Newport County fan Mark Fuller, 39, was at Rodney Parade with fiancée Debbie Morris, 43, along with James Morris, 16, Natalie Brooks, 22 and two-year-old Rio Jay Balfour. | Lifelong Newport County fan Mark Fuller, 39, was at Rodney Parade with fiancée Debbie Morris, 43, along with James Morris, 16, Natalie Brooks, 22 and two-year-old Rio Jay Balfour. |
| He said he could not believe he was witnessing his team rise to League Two. | He said he could not believe he was witnessing his team rise to League Two. |
| "I used to save my paper round money up to go and watch the old club," he said. | "I used to save my paper round money up to go and watch the old club," he said. |
| "So it was a bit distressing when they went bust. So I saw the old club go bust and the new one rise from the ashes. | "So it was a bit distressing when they went bust. So I saw the old club go bust and the new one rise from the ashes. |
| "It was an amazing feeling on Sunday." | "It was an amazing feeling on Sunday." |
| Stephen Dunn, a fellow lifelong follower of the club, who was at the parade with his wife Denise, 45, and Abigail, 10, said: "I used to follow the old club in the '70s. Sometimes there used to be 20 of us going [to away games]. | Stephen Dunn, a fellow lifelong follower of the club, who was at the parade with his wife Denise, 45, and Abigail, 10, said: "I used to follow the old club in the '70s. Sometimes there used to be 20 of us going [to away games]. |
| "I thought it would come but it came quickly." | "I thought it would come but it came quickly." |
| Philip Ashcroft, 61, whose two daughters are season ticket holders, added: "It's great. It's fantastic for the club and the city." | Philip Ashcroft, 61, whose two daughters are season ticket holders, added: "It's great. It's fantastic for the club and the city." |
| Police outriders accompanied the bus along the route on bicycles. | Police outriders accompanied the bus along the route on bicycles. |
| Sgt Scott Askew, whose patch includes Rodney Parade, said he saw around 1,000 fans around the Town Bridge, with another 500 supporters lining the roads in the Maindy area. | Sgt Scott Askew, whose patch includes Rodney Parade, said he saw around 1,000 fans around the Town Bridge, with another 500 supporters lining the roads in the Maindy area. |
| "It's fantastic to hear all the chanting and seeing the players recording the scenes on their phones," he said. | "It's fantastic to hear all the chanting and seeing the players recording the scenes on their phones," he said. |
| "They will probably never be able to do this again." | "They will probably never be able to do this again." |
| A reception for the players and coaching staff was held at the civic centre before they returned to Rodney Parade at about 19:00 BST. | A reception for the players and coaching staff was held at the civic centre before they returned to Rodney Parade at about 19:00 BST. |
| The team and manager Justin Edinburgh were presented on the ground's balcony to huge cheers from the crowd of fans below. | The team and manager Justin Edinburgh were presented on the ground's balcony to huge cheers from the crowd of fans below. |
| The jubilant atmosphere continued as Edinburgh and assistant manager Jimmy Dack held the play-off cup aloft. | The jubilant atmosphere continued as Edinburgh and assistant manager Jimmy Dack held the play-off cup aloft. |
| Mayor John Guy presented the club with the framed scroll before a firework display rounded off events. | Mayor John Guy presented the club with the framed scroll before a firework display rounded off events. |
| Club historian Andrew Taylor said the celebration came after decades of dark days for the football side, in which the club went bust and was expelled from the Football Conference. | Club historian Andrew Taylor said the celebration came after decades of dark days for the football side, in which the club went bust and was expelled from the Football Conference. |
| "When you talk about it being a fairytale, our history reads more like Grimm than Hans Christian Anderson, to be honest," he said. | "When you talk about it being a fairytale, our history reads more like Grimm than Hans Christian Anderson, to be honest," he said. |
| "The low point has to be for me have been the point at the auction when we were seeing all of the club's belongings being sold off. | "The low point has to be for me have been the point at the auction when we were seeing all of the club's belongings being sold off. |
| "There was that feeling then that 'This is it - there is no way back'. | "There was that feeling then that 'This is it - there is no way back'. |
| "But such is the resolution and the spirit of Newport supporters, that was never going to be allowed to happen - and thank goodness we are back where we are now." | "But such is the resolution and the spirit of Newport supporters, that was never going to be allowed to happen - and thank goodness we are back where we are now." |
| Newport's parade comes only days after its south Wales neighbour Cardiff staged its own parade to celebrate promotion to the Premier League. | Newport's parade comes only days after its south Wales neighbour Cardiff staged its own parade to celebrate promotion to the Premier League. |