A return to football in Newport saw Nathan Wood come up against the biggest football club in the world, yet days later he makes the move to Ireland.
Newport born Nathan Wood joined the Exiles last summer on a two-year contract, although he is no stranger to the Exiles having been apart of their academy set up until 2015. After leaving he spent time playing at Undy Athletic.
Later, in 2019 Wood joined Penybont FC who play in the Cymru Premier. Wood went onto make over 100 league appearances across four seasons.
Wood made his debut for the Exiles in August 2023 as a second half substitute against Doncaster Rovers, Newport went on to win four nil. Wood then scored his first professional goal for Newport in October 2023 when the Exiles won two nil against Cheltenham Town in the EFL Trophy group stages.
Wood joined Cork City on January deadline day, since then the forward’s started every game. As of game week five ‘The Rebel Army’ sit top of the table having won four and drawn once.
The move to Ireland has been Wood’s first club outside of his home country, an opportunity and experience for the 26-year-old.
“It’s a different culture, coming away from home, with me being a Newport lad, it’s all I’ve ever known, I’ve come out here and experienced a different environment, a different football club. I’ve enjoyed the independence that’s come with it, in the long run I will see the benefits of it.”
The move to Cork was one which surprised many Newport fans, as the move came just days after the Manchester United FA Cup clash, to add on the fact that the Exiles have never had a player go on loan in Ireland.
“We drew Manchester United in the Cup which I really wanted to be apart of, but I also wanted to play regularly, I was stuck between, I want to be apart of the game and the occasion but then I also want to play.”
“Just days before the end of the January transfer window, I was in the gym and I thought that I wasn’t going anywhere, I’m a United fan and to me as a young kid it was something that I just couldn’t let my older-self miss out on.”
“I was involved in the game, then a day or two later I had a phone call off my agent saying would I be interested in going to Cork, this was around 7pm, then 8am the next morning I was on a coach to Birmingham to fly out to Ireland. It happened so fast.”
When asked if there were any other clubs as options he responded:
“I didn’t want to go back to part-time football, I had come on a lot in the six-months at Newport and it took my body a long time to adjust, I didn’t want to undo the hard work that I’d spent six months building by going back to a part-time environment, so I didn’t just want to go anywhere.”
With Nathan playing at three different levels of football within 10 months a question to ask would be the difference between:
“It’s not quite League Two but it’s a difficult level physically, you don’t get the time on the ball as much. It’s hard to compare the two, especially when I’m only five games in, by the end of my loan deal hopefully I will be able to give you a bit more insight, but at the moment I really don’t know.”
With just 12 substitute appearances and no goals Wood has already surpassed his record at Newport, having an assist within the first three games.
“I don’t want to put a target on something and then if I don’t reach that deem it an unsuccessful loan spell, I just want to be involved in as many goals and play as much as I can.”
Nathan has played in multiple positions, at Cork as a striker or left winger, but at Newport he played deeper as an 8.
“If i’m playing up front then I want to score more. 15 goal involvements would be nice but maybe that’s just me being ambitious.”
Cork City’s league starts in February compared to the Newport’s in August meaning their season finishes in November, despite Wood just on contract until June the forward still shows interest.
“I’m open to anything, it’s a conversation for June time, my priority is Newport. I’m contracted there for another 18 months, they’re my home town club, I’d love to see what I can do their next year but if it’s not an option then why not, I don’t want to make decisions now, it’s a loan spell and I’ll give my best, I’ll then re-evaluate in June.”
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