20 Questions: Newport County

We’re off to South Yorkshire on Saturday, but we’re heading to South Wales today as Ed Bridges takes us on an informative trip through Newport’s past and present

Sep 26, 2024

Thursday 26 September 2024

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Dear County fans, Stopfordians, Newport supporters, and anyone else from The Football Family joining us today, a very warm welcome to your Thursday edition of The Scarf My Father Wore.

Ed Bridges from the Newport podcast 1912 Exiles joins us today with the definitive lowdown on the men from Rodney Parade.

A big thank you to MAN v FAT for sponsoring today’s edition. You can register for just £1 using the code TSMFW. Scroll down for a list of their local venues.

Thanks also to The Dodger who sponsor our Newport County content on the website.

Finally, I’m currently walking every street in Stockport to raise money for mental health charity Mentell. If you’d like to make a donation to help me reach my target, please click here.

Total distance so far: 176.31 miles

Total steps so far: 284,130

Total raised so far: £2,001

Total completed streets so far: 399 (Click here for the full list, which includes reports and photos from every day of the walk.)

Further information on the walk can be found by clicking here.

Des Junior

Newport won the Conference play-off final the year County were relegated to the sixth tier

Newport currently play in League Two, which is the fourth tier of English football. What’s that like as a division?

I’m no Catholic, but the Fourth Division always sounds like what I understand Limbo to be – it’s for clubs who haven’t yet sinned enough to be condemned to the Conference, but who haven’t led good enough existences to deserve the salvation of heaven / the Third Division. Each year sees an unseemly squabble, at the end of which there’s usually one total basket-case and one unlucky club who drop down, whilst at the other end one or two teams of proper quality will merit promotion whilst two more will be standing in the right place when the music stops. We’ve been here now for over a decade, and the novelty still hasn’t worn off.

Describe a typical matchday for yourself in Newport.

I’m not a big fan of this modern notion of “the matchday experience”. My dream is usually to arrive at the ground at about ten to three, and be back in the car within ten minutes of the final whistle. On the rare occasions when I go sans kids, I might allow myself a quiet pint and a read in Ye Olde Murenger House (the best pub in Newport and therefore in Wales), which is like a trip back in time to an idyllic boozer from an age before big-screen tellies, Jägerbombs and Sky Bloody Sports at excruciating volume. Basically it’s George Orwell’s The Moon Under Water, but with pork pies as well.

Who are your club’s biggest rivals?

The real weakness of Newport County in the 21st century is that we don’t have one. Older fans will remember a local rivalry with Cardiff, but it would be fanciful to pretend we’re even on their radar these days. In the Conference days we made a good show of hating Hereford (which was reciprocated), but nowadays apart from a playful enmity with Forest Green until their relegation, I’m not sure we’ve got one. Personally I can’t stand Swindon Town, but that’s just me.

What’s your best memory following Newport?

Most people will cite the Conference play-off victory at Wembley to propel ourselves back into the league. For me though, that’s been eclipsed by some of the more recent cup exploits we’ve had at Rodney Parade. Beating Leicester not long after they won the First Division and taking Spurs to a replay as the nation watched on BBC1 were both good – but last year’s game against Man Utd was something else. For ten minutes after we’d pegged them back to 2-2, we were on top and the better side and the atmosphere was something I’ll never forget. The record books show that the visitors emerged 4-2 winners, but we all knew who the real victors were.

What’s your worst memory following Newport?

I think losing 4-0 at home to a god-awful Leyton Orient side in March 2017, to leave us 11 points adrift at the bottom of the Fourth Division. At that point, even the fans thought we’d be relegated. Enter local boy and club legend Mike Flynn, a sprinkling of managerial alchemy and a fair dollop of luck, and we survived on the last day. But it was made all the more special by the despair which had preceded it.

If Newport County was a TV show, which one would it be?

We leave that TV nonsense to the Northeast Wales Hollywood Soccerball Franchise. The Newport equivalent would be some scallies filming low-level anti-social behaviour to put on YouTube with swearing over the top. It’d be a bit rubbish, but it’d be much more real.

What’s your ground called, and how would you describe it for someone who’s never visited before?

Rodney Parade is a smashing place to watch football. Historically a rugby ground, we share it with the Newport Gwent Dragons in a broadly harmonious arrangement. It’s got one smart new all-seater stand (the Bisley) on one side, and one ancient but characterful one (on Rodney Road) opposite with a mixture of terraces and seats. At one end is an open terrace and at the other some open seats (for big away followings). So there’s something for every taste. It’s a ten minute walk from the station, a walk which takes you past some truly brilliant pubs (and a fair few dreadful ones too, it must be said), a couple of cracking live music venues, and the Indoor Market which now houses street food from around the world in Victorian splendour. Genuinely, it’s a great ground which people should tick off.

What’s your thoughts on Stockport County?

Got a lot of respect for you. A proper club who sunk a long way down and then built yourselves back up – something with which we can identify. And in the season where you won the Fourth Division title (and the season before) you played some really excellent football. Plus I think you’re blessed with a very good fan culture – podcasts, blogs etc – which is nice to see.

Have you ever visited the town of Stockport before?

Urgh. I genuinely had one of my worst away days watching Newport get gubbed 4-0 there on Easter Monday in 2023. No complaints about the score – Stockport were great, Newport were poor – but it was grim and unwelcoming. Miserable stewards, belligerent pub bouncers who wouldn’t let away fans in, soaking rain, and I realised on the way back that I had COVID. A day to forget. But I shan’t bear a grudge!

Knoyle makes it four! (Photo courtesy of Mike Petch)

What colours do you play in, and what’s the best ever kit Newport have had?

Amber and black, based on the fact that Newport County was formed in 1912 by steelworkers who had moved to South Wales from the West Midlands and were Wolverhampton Wanderers fans so used their colours. Our best kit was designed for the FAW Premier Cup (don’t ask) sponsored by local rappers Goldie Lookin Chain, with a medallion motif on the front. In the first game of that season’s competition, we had to wear a change strip, and we got knocked out, so the GLC kit never got worn in a competitive game – but it remains the stuff of legend!

If Newport were playing in the next FA Cup final, who’d be at Wembley as your celebrity fan?

As above, it would likely be GLC. They’re not all as mad-keen on County as they sometimes make out, but at least a couple are regulars on the terrace, and the city is rightly proud of them.

What’s the most interesting fact about Newport County we might not know?

What, apart from the great fact I’ve given you already about our colour scheme being derived from Wolverhampton Wanderers?! We’re probably the only club who can boast a Transporter Bridge and an RSPB reserve within easy striking distance – a more interesting pre-match jaunt than sitting in Wetherspoons…

Norman Parselle (Photo credit: Newport County FC)

Who’s your all time Newport hero?

Older fans than me will hark back to the players we had before the club went out of business and reformed – and certainly the tales of John Aldridge or Tommy Tynan stand the test of time. But for me the real legends are the ones who hauled us through the days after 1989 when we had to do things the hard way, starting in local leagues over the border in Gloucestershire because of wrangles with the FAW, and pull us up by our bootstraps. I was too young to have seen him as a player, but Norman Parselle epitomised that era, playing for the club both pre and post-reformation with distinction. He now leads the club’s community arm, and his passion for the city and for the club makes him an absolute tonic to be around. We’ve had him on the pod a few times and he’s been great value. Being a good footballer is one thing – but being a good footballer who makes people’s worlds better every day is something truly extraordinary.

What sort of attendances do you get, and how would you describe Newport’s fanbase?

These days, we have over 2,000 season ticket holders and at least as many again turning up on the day. With away fans too, there are usually 5,000-odd at Rodney Parade for all bar the least-glamorous matches. That may not sound impressive, but 20 years ago when we were playing in the Conference South we were getting 800 or so at a windy athletics stadium by a ring road. The transformation in the club in that time has been staggering, and many of us think our best days lie in front of us. As a fanbase, we’ve got our share of moaners and morons just like everyone else, but we’ve also got some exceptionally funny and lovable characters around the place too. One of the joys of doing our podcast has been to feature more and more voices from those who attend games, and to hear people’s back stories.

What’s your manager like?

The head coach is Nelson Jardim, who took over this summer. Hailing from Madeira, he was a former coach at Swansea City, and a highly rated one at that. Moreover, he was allegedly the top choice of chairman Huw Jenkins when he decided to make his first appointment.

What’s your chairman like?

Jenkins has been clear that he wanted to move to a more attractive style of play, bringing through young players who could be sold for a profit, and he feels Jardim is the man to make that happen. The early signs are mixed – fans remain supportive of the principle, but this season has seen a big change, and questions abound over whether we have the experience in the squad we need to survive.

What’s it like for a night out in Newport?

If you know where to go (and where to avoid), it’s great. There are two or three really good pubs, but a dozen appalling ones. There are two great live music venues (Le Pub, and the Corn Exchange) but plenty of lousy sticky bars / clubs. There are a few good eateries, but oodles of chain dross. But if you choose well, you’ll have a blast.

What’s the best thing about being a Newport fan?

The fact that we’re still bloody here. Despite bankruptcy, exile and regular indifference from the media and local population, we hauled our way back up into the league and we’ve stuck in this division for over a decade. We might not have the attendances of Cardiff or Swansea and we might not be media darlings like Wrexham, but honestly, we’d hate it anyway. We’re here, on our terms, doing it our way. And it’s great.

What’s the worst thing about being a Newport fan?

Every August, we start the season with trepidation that this will be the year when it’ll fall apart and we’ll go down. Then we start OK, surprise ourselves, pick up a few points and begin to dream. The worst thing, the very very worst thing, is February and March when the wheels come off and we realise we’re going to finish 15th and have to play another eight games with nothing riding on it.

What are your hopes for this season?

See above. At this stage, I’d still take 22nd place and survival, but I’m sure come advent we’ll be kidding ourselves that a couple of signings could propel us into the play-offs. It’s the hope that kills you.

Enjoyed today’s article? Click here for all of the other ‘20 Questions’ features we’ve published.

North West men shifting the pounds!

With the new EFL season well underway, and County sitting just outside the play-offs, Dave Challinor’s men aren’t the only ones who have been getting themselves in shape this summer.

Men of all ages have been shedding the pounds as part of local MAN v FAT clubs, with a host of locations around the Greater Manchester area including Stockport, which is held at Lambeth Grove on a Tuesday night.

The 81 lads currently participating in Stockport shifted a remarkable 205kg in their most recent 14-week season whilst just down the road in Bury, the members there cast away 364kg of unwanted timber in their inaugural MAN v FAT season.

MAN v FAT regional manager for the north of England, Stuart Normansell, who lives in Stockport, said: “Our MAN v FAT clubs in Greater Manchester are among the most established and most vibrant MAN v FAT communities nationally.

“The lads in the area just seem to get what it takes to succeed in MAN v FAT. That is partly their weight loss efforts but there’s so much more to it and there are some fantastic communities of lads who build friendships and relationships outside of their club sessions.

“Undoubtedly, there are some huge wellbeing and confidence outcomes too and I take great pleasure in seeing the lads rediscover themselves during their time with us.”

MAN v FAT, who will be sponsoring The Scarf My Father Wore in the 2024-25 season, have a host of clubs in the area and are welcoming new starters – you can join at any stage of the year and you just need to be 18+ and have a BMI of 27.5 or higher!

Here's where they’re based locally – you can register for just £1 using the code TSMFW.

Bolton
Wednesdays at St Catherine’s Academy Sports Centre
https://manvfatfootball.org/bolton

Bury
Tuesdays at Radcliffe FC
https://manvfatfootball.org/bury

Macclesfield
Thursdays at Lifestyle Fitness
https://manvfatfootball.org/macclesfield

Manchester
Mondays at MEA Central
https://manvfatfootball.org/manchester

Rochdale
Mondays at Cardinal Langley RC High School
https://manvfatfootball.org/rochdale

Salford
Thursdays at Ordsall Leisure Centre
https://manvfatfootball.org/salford

Stockport
Tuesdays at Lambeth Grove
https://manvfatfootball.org/stockport

Wigan
Wednesdays at Standish Leisure Centre
https://manvfatfootball.org/wigan

Pop in for a pint at The Dodger this Saturday

Any Newport fans (or indeed, any of our other readers down in South Wales) joining us today? With the Exiles taking on Crewe this Saturday, head to The Dodger on Chepstow Road for a pint before or after the game. 5% of takings will be donated to Newport’s academy.

Photo of the day

Edgeley Park, Stockport

I’ll be completely honest, I wouldn’t have recognised him, so I’m chuffed that County’s historian Marcus Heap introduced me to Terry Park as I headed into Edgeley Park on Saturday afternoon. A little bit before my time, but a firm favourite with County fans in the late 70s and 80s. And of course, Terry scored the goal at Old Trafford in 1978 that put County 2-1 up in the League Cup with 12 minutes to go, before we were robbed by referee Peter Willis.

Today in SK

🎬 Cinema

Two films at The Savoy Cinema (SK4) today. Lee (15) at 5.30pm, followed by Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (12A) at 8.15pm. Click here for tickets.

The screening of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice coincides with Pizza Club. Tickets include a pizza from I Knead Pizza, a drink of your choice and an ice cream – all in the comfort of your cinema seat!

🍺 Food and drink

Bitter £2.30 a pint all day at The Cross Keys (SK8). Plus, discounts on certain lagers between 12pm and 6pm.

If you’re simply in the mood for a couple of pints today, pop along to one of our featured venues such as AMP (SK1), Bask (SK1), The Nelson Tavern (SK1), The Crown (SK2), The Armoury (SK3), The Crown Inn (SK6), The Steelworks (SK6) or The Three Tunnes (SK7).

⁉️ Quiz night

The Dog & Partridge (SK2). Free entry. £20 food voucher for the winners! 8pm. If you’re eating out tonight as well, pop down from 6pm for their curry night.

Random photos of County players at other clubs

#13 – Andy Cannon, Wrexham

Andy Cannon only made 10 appearances for County, but he’ll always be etched into the club’s history, as one of those games was against Halifax on the final day of the 2021-22 season as Dave Challinor’s men clinched promotion to the Football League on an emotional Sunday afternoon in SK3. He moved to Wrexham the following season, and has since played for the Welsh club across three divisions.