FORMER Newport County AFC striker Aaron O’Connor believes the Exiles have done well to survive in League Two this season.

O’Connor, one of 15 players to leave the club last summer when Terry Butcher took over as manager, says he’s not surprised that his old side have struggled throughout the campaign.

But the team now led by boss Warren Feeney will be mathematically safe from relegation tonight if York City fail to beat promotion-chasing Portsmouth.

And, despite scoring what turned out to be the winning goal for Stevenage against County on Saturday, O’Connor is delighted that his new side and his former team will be in the Football League next season.

“I was worried at the start of the season when I saw how the results were going,” said the 32-year-old.

“I stay in touch with a lot of the players and I’d never want them to go down.

“I’m happy they’re safe and we’re safe and both clubs can look forward to next season.

“I’ve been down a couple of times and watched games and when you look at the start they made I think they’ve done quite well,” he added.

“John Sheridan came in and did really well and gave them a platform.

“He’s obviously got to take a lot of credit for where they are now. He came in and changed things around.

“But I’m not surprised that they didn’t do overly well with the massive change in the summer.

“It could have gone either way. It could have worked for them as well but overall I’m happy to see them safe and hopefully they can do better next season.”

O’Connor, who scored the second goal at Wembley as County won promotion to League Two in 2013, did not celebrate when he netted against them on Saturday.

“I kind of knew, it was always going to happen,” he said.

“I enjoyed it but I spent a lot of time there and I’ve got a lot of respect for the club and the fans.

“I was disappointed to get a few boos when I first touched the ball but there was mutual respect there.”

But that respect won’t stop him rubbing it in to former teammates Andrew Hughes and Darren Jones.

“We were quite serious during the game,” he said. “We’d been laughing and joking about it all week and they were saying they wouldn’t be able to take it seriously playing against me.

“Usually I’m a little bit of a wind-up merchant but I took it seriously and now the game’s over and I scored I’m going to give them some stick!

“I’m going to ring them but they probably won’t answer their phones now.”