Newport County A.F.C. facts for kids
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| Full name | Newport County Association Football Club | |||
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| Nickname(s) | The Exiles, The Ironsides, The Port, The Black and Ambers | |||
| Short name | County | |||
| Founded | 1912 (founded) June 1989 (reformed) |
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| Ground | Rodney Parade | |||
| Capacity | 7,850 | |||
| Coordinates | 51°35′18″N 2°59′18″W / 51.588332°N 2.988207°W | |||
| Owner | Huw Jenkins 52%, Newport County AFC Supporters Trust 27%, Other investors 21% |
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| Head coach | Nelson Jardim | |||
| League | League Two | |||
| 2018–19 | League Two, 7th of 24 | |||
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Newport County Association Football Club is a professional football team from Newport, South Wales. The team is often called "The Exiles" or "The Ironsides." They play in League Two, which is the fourth level of English football. Their home uniform is usually amber shirts and black shorts.
The club started in 1912 and joined the Football League in 1920. They won the Third Division South championship in 1939. After World War II, they played in the Second Division but were soon moved down. In 1980, under manager Len Ashurst, they won promotion from the Fourth Division and also won the Welsh Cup. This allowed them to play in the European Cup Winners' Cup, where they reached the quarter-finals.
However, the 1980s were tough. The club faced money problems and lost their spot in the Football League in 1988. They even stopped operating in 1989.
The club was reformed by fans in 1989. They were called "The Exiles" because they couldn't play at their home stadium, Somerton Park. They quickly won the Hellenic Football League in 1990. After playing at different grounds, they finally moved to Newport Stadium. In 2010, they won the Conference South championship. Then, in 2012, they moved to Rodney Parade. In 2013, after 25 years away, they returned to the Football League by winning the Conference National play-off final.
Contents
Newport County AFC: A Club's Journey
Early Years and Promotions (1912–1988)
Newport County started playing in the Southern League in 1912 at Somerton Park. They were first called "The Newport & Monmouthshire County Association Football Club." The nickname "The Ironsides" came from Newport's steel works.
The club joined the Football League in 1920. They left for a short time in 1931 but rejoined in 1932. After many years, they finally won the Third Division South championship in 1939. This meant they were promoted to the Second Division.
Playing in the Second Division
Hopes were high for the team in the Second Division. But World War II stopped the 1939–40 season after only three games. After the war, Newport County returned to the Second Division in 1946. However, they had a tough season, including a record 13–0 loss to Newcastle United. They were moved down to the Third Division at the end of that season.
Challenges in the Third Division
In 1949, Newport reached the fifth round of the FA Cup, which is their best result in that competition. They lost a close game 3–2 to Portsmouth.
After 11 more seasons, the club was moved down to the Fourth Division in 1962. They stayed there for the next 18 years.
Time in the Fourth Division
Billy Lucas managed Newport County three times. In 1957, the team played Arsenal in the FA Cup fourth round, losing 2–0 in front of 20,000 fans. In 1959 and 1960, they faced Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup. In 1960, a record crowd of 24,000 watched them play Tottenham at Somerton Park.
In 1971, Newport set an unwanted record by not winning any of their first 25 matches. They also lost 6–1 to a non-league team, Barnet, in the FA Cup. Things got better in 1973 when they almost won promotion.
In 1977, under manager Colin Addison, the team had a "great escape." They avoided being moved down by winning their last game of the season.
Big Moments: Promotion and European Football
The 1980s brought both the best and worst times for Newport County. Under manager Len Ashurst, they were promoted from the Fourth Division in 1980. They also won the Welsh Cup for the first time. This win meant they could play in the European Cup Winners' Cup.
The team had talented players like John Aldridge, who later became a famous goal-scorer for Liverpool. Tommy Tynan and Dave Gwyther were also key goal-scorers. Young players Steve Lowndes and Nigel Vaughan even played for the Wales national team.
In the 1980–81 European Cup Winners' Cup, Newport County did very well. They beat teams from Northern Ireland and Norway. They reached the quarter-finals, where they played against Carl Zeiss Jena from East Germany. Newport drew 2–2 away from home, but lost 1–0 in the home leg. Carl Zeiss Jena later reached the final of the competition.
In 1983, Newport County had their highest league finish after the war, coming 4th in the Third Division. They almost won promotion to the Second Division.
Tough Times and Club Closure
Despite some successes, Newport County faced more difficulties. They were moved down from the Third Division in 1987. In 1988, they finished last in the Fourth Division, losing their place in the Football League after 60 seasons.
The club then faced serious money problems. They had debts of £330,000 and stopped operating on 27 February 1989. They were removed from the Conference league because they couldn't play their games.
Reforming and Returning Home (1989 onwards)
The Exiles' Journey
In June 1989, about 400 supporters helped restart the club. They called themselves "Newport A.F.C." and got the nickname "The Exiles." This was because they had to play their home games far away in Moreton-in-Marsh, England. The local council would not let them use their old stadium, Somerton Park.
The reformed club immediately won the Hellenic Football League in 1990. They were promoted to the Southern League. After playing a couple of seasons back at Somerton Park, they were forced to play away again for two more seasons. The club even had to go to court to make sure they could stay in the English football system. They won, and this allowed them to have a permanent home at the new Newport Stadium.
In 1995, under manager Graham Rogers, they were promoted again to the Southern League Premier Division. They set a league record by winning 14 games in a row.
Moving Up the Ranks
In 1999, the club officially changed its name back to Newport County A.F.C.
In 2002, they reached the first round of the FA Cup for the first time since the club reformed. They drew 2–2 with Blackpool but lost the replay. In 2003, they reached the final of the FAW Premier Cup, beating Swansea City and Cardiff City before losing to Wrexham.
Success in the Conference South
In 2004, Newport joined the new Conference South league. In 2007, they reached the FA Cup first round again and the FAW Premier Cup final. In 2008, they won the last-ever FAW Premier Cup, beating Llanelli 1–0.
In the 2009–10 season, under manager Dean Holdsworth, Newport County had an amazing year. They stayed at the top of the league for most of the season. They won the Conference South title in March 2010 with seven games left. They were the first team in English football to win promotion that season! They finished with a record 103 points.
Back in the Conference Premier
Newport County was promoted to the Conference Premier for the 2010–11 season. This was the same level they were at before they closed down in 1989. Dean Holdsworth left in 2011, and Anthony Hudson became the new manager. The team finished ninth.
After a difficult start to the 2011–12 season, Hudson was replaced by Justin Edinburgh. Under Edinburgh, Newport avoided being moved down. They also reached the 2012 FA Trophy Final at Wembley Stadium for the first time, but lost 2–0 to York City.
In 2012, Newport County moved to Rodney Parade, a rugby stadium in the city. In 2013, they signed a 10-year agreement to play there.
The 2012–13 season was the club's 100th year. Newport County finished third in the Conference Premier and reached the play-offs. They beat Grimsby Town to reach the play-off final at Wembley Stadium. In a historic match against Wrexham, Newport County won 2–0. This meant they were back in the Football League after 25 years! The city of Newport gave them the Freedom of the City award for this achievement.
Return to League Two (2013 onwards)
In their first season back in League Two (2013–14), Newport County finished a good 14th. Manager Justin Edinburgh left in 2015, and Jimmy Dack took over. Newport finished ninth that season. Terry Butcher became manager, but he was replaced later that year.
Supporters Take Over (2015)
In 2015, the Newport County Supporters' Trust took over ownership of the club. This meant the fans now owned the club! John Sheridan and then Warren Feeney managed the team, helping them avoid being moved down in 2016.
Feeney was replaced by Graham Westley in 2016. However, Westley was also replaced in March 2017 when the team was struggling at the bottom of the league.
Amazing Comeback Under Michael Flynn (2017–2021)
First-team coach Michael Flynn became caretaker manager for the last 12 games of the 2016–17 season. In an amazing comeback, Newport avoided being moved down on the very last day of the season with a 2–1 win against Notts County. This was called the club's second "great escape."
Flynn was then made the permanent manager. In 2018, Newport beat Leeds United in the FA Cup and then drew 1–1 with Premier League team Tottenham Hotspur, forcing a replay at Wembley. Tottenham won the replay 2–0.
In 2019, County had another great FA Cup run. They beat Premier League team Leicester City 2–1. Then they beat Middlesbrough to reach the FA Cup fifth round for the first time since 1949. They played against the champions, Manchester City, losing 4–1. Newport striker Pádraig Amond was one of the top goal-scorers in the competition.
Newport finished 7th in League Two in 2019 and reached the play-off final at Wembley. They lost 1–0 to Tranmere Rovers in the last few minutes of extra time.
The 2019–20 season was stopped early because of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Newport finished 14th. In 2020, Newport beat Watford in the EFL Cup to reach the fourth round for the first time. They lost to Newcastle United on penalties.
In 2021, goalkeeper Tom King scored a goal from his own goal kick! It was confirmed as a Guinness World Record for the longest football goal, at 96.01 metres (105 yards). Newport finished 5th in League Two and reached the play-off final again, but lost 1–0 to Morecambe at Wembley.
Michael Flynn resigned as manager in October 2021.
Recent Seasons (2021 onwards)
James Rowberry became manager in October 2021. Newport finished 11th in League Two in 2022. Rowberry was replaced by Graham Coughlan in October 2022. Newport reached the third round of the EFL Cup in 2022, losing to Leicester City.
In January 2024, Huw Jenkins bought a controlling share of the club from the Supporters Trust. In February 2024, Newport reached the FA Cup fourth round, losing 4–2 to Manchester United. Graham Coughlan left the club in June 2024, and Nelson Jardim was appointed as the new Head Coach in July 2024.
Club Ownership
In 2015, after the previous owner Les Scadding sold the club, the Newport County AFC Supporters Society Limited was created. This group is run by fans who own shares in the club. They have an elected board of directors and hold regular meetings.
The Supporters Trust owned most of the club's shares. In October 2023, the Trust members voted to sell a controlling share (52%) to Huw Jenkins. The Supporters Trust still owns 27% of the shares, and other investors own 21%. This sale was completed in January 2024.
Supporters and Rivalries
Newport County gets most of its support from the city of Newport and the surrounding area. Fans call themselves the "Amber Army" because of the team's traditional amber color. The club has a mascot named Spytty the Dog.
The supporters' unofficial song is Come on the County. It was first released in 1973 and has been re-recorded several times.
Famous comedian Frank Carson used to be a director and vice president of the club. Newport-based rap group Goldie Lookin' Chain are also supporters and even sponsored the team's shirts for some matches.
Team Rivalries
Newport County's main rivals are Cardiff City. However, they don't play each other very often because they are usually in different leagues. Other rivals include Welsh teams Swansea City and Wrexham. They also have rivalries with nearby English teams like Bristol Rovers, Cheltenham Town, and Forest Green Rovers.
Players
Current Team Squad
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Players on Loan
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Youth Academy: Developing Future Stars
Newport County has a youth academy that helps young players develop their skills. It works with Newport City Council and has about 50 students. The academy team plays in the Under-18 Football League Youth Alliance.
Many players from the academy have gone on to play for the senior team. Some examples include Lee Evans, Regan Poole, and Aaron Collins. The youth team has also won trophies, like the English Schools' Football Association under-19 trophy in 2002.
Coaching Staff
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Head Coach |  Nelson Jardim |
| Assistant Head Coach |  Dafydd Williams |
| Senior goalkeeping coach |  Rob Thomas |
| Chief Footballing Officer | Lucy Kelly |
| Head of performance | Scott Wickens |
| First-team lead performance analyst |  Conor McGaharan |
| First-team physio | Tom Gittoes |
| Fitness coach | Connor Neeson |
| Kitman | David Pipe |
| Head of Academy Recruitment | Sam Bladen |
| Academy Manager | Luke Hussey |
| Academy Head of Coaching | Ben Gast |
| U18's Coach | Kayne McLaggon |
Club Achievements and Trophies
League Titles
- Third Division South (level 3)
- Champions: 1938–39
- Fourth Division (level 4)
- Promoted: 1979–80
- Conference Premier (level 5)
- Play-off winners: 2013
- Conference South (level 6)
- Champions: 2009–10
- Southern League Midland Division
- Champions: 1994–95
- Hellenic League
- Champions: 1989–90
Cup Wins
- FA Trophy
- Runners-up: 2011–12
- Welsh Cup
- Winners: 1979–80
- FAW Premier Cup
- Winners: 2007–08
Images for kids
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Chart of yearly table positions of Newport County in the English football league system.
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Top-of-the-table Newport playing Oxford United in a Third Division clash in 1981
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Newport Stadium, 2004
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Rodney Parade 2012
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A timeline showing the past and present directors of the club, and their tenure(s).
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Club mascot Spytty the Dog
See also
In Spanish: Newport County Association Football Club para niños
- List of Newport County A.F.C. managers
- List of Newport County A.F.C. players
- List of Newport County A.F.C. records and statistics
