NEWPORT County boss Terry Butcher is hoping a change of routine can prompt a change of results.

The Exiles are yet to win a contest since Butcher took charge, with Saturday’s trip to Dagenham representing County’s tenth competitive game of the campaign.

However, with potential new signings on the way next week, Butcher is hopeful a change of routine can pay dividends on the field.

“We’ve tried a few things different, we had Monday off and we’ve trained differently, because we’ve been back at Llanrumney, which is the club going back to the future, in many aspects,” he explained.

“It’s been great, Cardiff University have helped us out, the pitch at Llanwern School won’t be ready for us to use for about six weeks.

“So we’ve been making the trip to Cardiff like in previous times here, it’s a great area, with lovely pitches and the boys have enjoyed it.

“We are consciously trying to do things differently; you need to freshen things up from time-to-time and especially when you are struggling.

“The boys have responded well, they train tremendously, but we need to translate it onto a match day.”

Butcher feels any talk of a ‘crisis’ is premature.

“We are seven games into a season, so it’s not a crisis as such, we are still in touching distance, but it’s still irritating and disappointing that we are where we are,” he explained.

“The table doesn’t lie and we need to rectify it pretty quick, there is still great hope here, among players and supporters.

“The fans are with us, but we need to keep them with us by putting in performances to win football games.

“I think the fans have stayed with us because we’ve been playing well, but we are making several mistakes in most games, throwing goals in and we are being punished for it.

“We’re not in a good position, we aren’t doing well enough at either end of the pitch, but it’s not like we aren’t creating chances or that there is nothing good to say about our performances.

“But we want to win football games. We aren’t being smashed, we aren’t no-hopers, clearly, but we need to carry on doing what we are doing well and then results must come, they have to.”

Butcher is no stranger to winning or losing runs.

“Throughout my career I’ve experienced this, that losing run when you can’t win for love nor money, but also the other side of it, when you go onto the pitch feeling invincible and that you can’t lose,” he said.

“It’s not enjoyable to be losing games, but the players are playing the kind of football we want to see from them.”

Butcher expects a tough test from Dagenham, but is hopeful some inside knowledge will tip the scales in their favour.

“Dagenham are a good side, well-knit, they scrap hard and they play some good football as well,” he said.

“We’ve hopefully got some good inside knowledge on them as some of our players (Matt Partridge and Medy Elito) used to play for them.

“They’ve been helpful, the spies in the camp, but it’s about what we do on Saturday that will count.

“We need to be disciplined and determined.

“We still have a lot of players out, so the squad is still threadbare, but we just have to roll our sleeves up and get stuck in. When your back is against the wall, you come out fighting.”

Butcher will welcome back Danny Holmes after suspension, but Alex Rodman, Nathan Ralph and Matt Taylor remain sidelined, with the ex-England international hopeful of confirming another signing soon.

“We’ve made good progress on a potential signing, it won’t be before the weekend but hopefully next week, to get someone else in,” he said.

“We’ve been working hard on it, a lot of players are on four figure wages and it’s not easy, because there aren’t that many players we feel can come and improve us, the competition is fierce.

“But we are optimistic we’ll have someone in by next week that can make a difference for us.”