Newport County: Graham Westley wants to add to his 13 recent signings

Manager Graham Westley has accused transfer listed players of refusing to leave Newport and play elsewhere

Newport County boss Graham Westley wants even more new players despite signing 13 during the transfer window.

The Exiles boss has confirmed he is looking for free agents to bolster his squad for its League Two relegation battle.

And Westley has criticised players he says refused to leave Newport despite not being wanted.

"We are still looking at free agents, I have one or two irons in the fire," said Westley.

"I didn't panic at the end of the window. I bided my time as we still have irons in the fire alive."

County took a step towards safety with a 3-1 win over Hartlepool last time out and travel to fellow strugglers Cheltenham on Saturday, 4 February.

Westley has overhauled his team, adding 12 new faces in January and seeing Josh Sheehan sign an extension to his loan deal from Swansea City to technically take the number to 13.

But Westley admits he wanted to do even more during the January transfer window.

And he has laid the blame for not doing all the business he wanted at the door of transfer-listed players.

'There is no way back for them'

Jack Compton, Mark Randall and Ben Tozer were all told they could move on and Westley has claimed despite the chance to go, they refused.

"I wish I could have done more (last month)," Westley added.

"It wasn't possible, I had deals lined up on deadline day, but players needed to go out for other players to come in and players wouldn't go.

"There were viable offers for them and they didn't go. I couldn't understand that.

"I wouldn't have had that in my playing career. It wouldn't have worked for me at all. I always wanted to play.

"I've made clear what their futures are. If I fired you from your job, that is it, you would be fired."

He added: "It is what it is, but there is no way back for them."