Newport survive, Wrexham fall short and Sam's emotional farwell

Feast of Football

BBC

Sports

4.8 • 564 Ratings

🗓️ 8 May 2026

⏱️ 61 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In the end they had a four-point cushion, but Newport County certainly put their fans through wringer in avoiding relegation from the Football League. Two consecutive wins - for the first time this season, and both coming from behind - ensured their survival. How's that for grit and determination? But how can the club avoid another fight for survival next season? And will manager Christian Fuchs be around to build on his early promise?

One goal was all that separated Wrexham from the Championship play-offs. They had their chances to beat Middlesbrough in the final game of the season, but the unrelenting rise up the divisions has come to a stop... for now. Is it inevitable, given the ambitions of the owners, that the club will reach the Premier League within the next three seasons?

And after Sam brought down the curtain on a 20-year playing career on Saturday, he talks us through the emotions of his final appearance as a professional footballer...and how a 92-year-old Burnley fan made sure he was at Gillingham to say goodbye to his favourite player for the last time. It's "garden centres and school runs" for him now.

Transcript

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0:00.0	BBC Sounds, Music, radio, podcasts.
0:05.0	They're on a journey into the unknown.
0:09.0	We've got a checkpoint to get to.
0:11.0	Hey, stop, stop the race.
0:13.0	If you're loving race across the world,
0:15.0	then unpack every episode on our brand new video podcast with me, Tyler West.
0:19.0	And me, Alfie Watts, with all the highlights, all the low lights, more stories and more behind the scenes.
0:24.7	And if there's space, we'll squeeze in a few travel tips too.
0:27.3	It's the video podcast you can't miss.
0:29.4	Race across the world, the detour.
0:31.4	Watch an eye player, listen for more on BBC Sounds Hello, welcome to the Feast of Football.
0:48.3	We are, we're in Newport, where we are celebrating, I think.
0:53.4	Newport staying in League 2.
0:55.5	Ewan was there in Barrow.
0:57.6	Sam was doing something else on Saturday.
0:59.3	We'll come to that shortly.
1:01.1	But Ewan and Sam in person, lovely to see you both.
1:03.0	How are you doing?
1:04.2	Good, good.
1:05.1	It's just nice to be in the kitchen.
1:06.8	Yeah.
1:07.9	Well, we are in the members lounge, aren't we?
	...

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