A year ago, Harrison Biggins was working in the fields of Shropshire. The midfielder is one of Newport County’s key players under Hayden Mullins.
The 30-year-old is set to make his 13th appearance of the 2026-27 season when he hosts Colechester Exiles in League Two on Saturday (15:00 BST).
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Mullins, a former midfielder himself, was impressed with Biggini’s impact.
“He is a really profitable player and a fantastic player to have as a coach because he can play in many different positions,” said the manager.
“He works incredibly hard for the team, whether he’s running the ball when we’re holding it or getting people down and pressing.”
After making just nine appearances in all competitions last season with the Sparrows, Biggins rediscovered both his form and his love of the game at Newport.
He arrived at Rodney Parade on loan in January and helped Christian Fuchs’ side avoid relegation before moving on last summer.
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“It was still great,” said Biggin, who made two League 30 appearances for Newport.
“I’ve always really enjoyed the pre-season from day one. We all worked so hard and came together as a team.
“Then the gaffer at the end of pre-season and just continued.”
This work ethic has become a hallmark of Mullins’s side, with Biggin at the heart of the novel’s positivity and exile.
“His output, goalscoring and assists, his runs are through the roof as he receives awards,” said the manager.
Biggins is part of a group led by Mullins alongside captain Kyle Cameron, striker Christian Doidge and full back Cameron Norman.
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“I like to pitch sometimes, and not all the time with my voice,” he said.
“It’s more about my actions. If someone sees you stand up or the way you behave, I hope the younger people can follow that.”
His renewal coincided with the improvements to Newport.
After narrowly avoiding relegation on the last day of last season, the Exiles have made a much brighter start.
Newport have now kept three clean sheets and are unbeaten at Rodney Parade, with games coming up against Colechester and York.
The Exiles were beaten 13 times at home before last season, but Biggini notes that the mentality is drifting this time around.
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“Teams coming to Rodney [Parade] “Be aware that the game is not easy,” he said.
“We’re not just going to roll over and tickle our bellies. There’s no way that’s going to happen.”
“You see how hard we fight each other. It will be home or away.”
Harrison Biggins scored for Newport in a 2-1 defeat by Salford [Huw Evans Picture Agency]
Perhaps nothing signified Newport’s renewed confidence more than Biggini’s stunning strike against Salford City on 1 September.
Spotting goalkeeper Matthew Young off the line, the midfielder hit an effort from 77.7 yards into the net.
“It’s something really a lot to ask for,” said Biggin, whose last-corner goal opened the 2-1 loss.
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“It sounds like an archer, but goalkeepers stand quite tall when the general play is done.
“In that game I was very much in our side and the ball seemed to break to me and it was my chance to try.
“I didn’t know how far I was until I saw her, but thankfully she’s gone.”
The beating was extraordinary, but the celebration was more ordinary.
‘He never gets excited,’ he said. “I’ll try to stay good whether they come against me or not. I’ll just keep my feet grounded and keep working.”
For a player whose career has been dominated by hard work, that mindset may yet be the clearest reason why both he and Newport seem to be heading in the right direction.