1912–1988 Rise through the league Newport County, originally nicknamed The Ironsides due to Newport being home to Lysaght's
Orb Works steel works, started out in the
Southern League in 1912 at
Somerton Park. The official name of the club was The Newport & Monmouthshire County Association Football Club, although the shorter
Newport County was soon adopted. and were first elected to the
Football League in
1920. They were not
re-elected after the
1930–31 season but rejoined for 1932–33. The War League operated for the remainder of the
1939–40 season and County finished 10th in the South-West Division. After the war, the club reformed and competed in the temporary
Football League South for the
1945–46 season. On the resumption of national league football for the
1946–47 season After 11 further seasons in the Third Division South, the club narrowly avoided another effective relegation with the creation of the
Fourth Division for the
1958–59 season. The bottom 12 teams from the Third Division North and South were placed in the new division, with the remainder forming the revived
Third Division. County avoided this fate by a mere four points. However, in
1962, with only seven wins all season, the club were relegated to the Fourth Division – their home for the next 18 years.
Fourth Division Billy Lucas had the first of three spells as Newport County manager from 1953 to 1961. County reached the fourth round of the
1956–57 FA Cup losing 2–0 to
Arsenal in front of 20,000 spectators at Somerton Park. In the
1958–59 FA Cup County faced
Tottenham Hotspur in the fourth round. The game was played in heavy snow away at
White Hart Lane, and although County lost 4–1 their goal came from an incredible 35-yard effort by defender
Ken Hollyman. This made the score-line 1–2, giving County the hope that they could force an upset upon
Bill Nicholson's men (who were
double winners
a year later). However, two late goals for Tottenham ended County's hopes of pulling off a shock result. County faced Tottenham again in the
1959–60 FA Cup third round at Somerton Park in front of a cup record 24,000 crowd, this time losing 4–0. In January 1964 under
Billy Lucas in his second spell as manager, County took on another high-profile side –
Burnley, the
1960 Division One champions and
1962 double runners-up – in the FA Cup fourth round, but again suffered defeat 2–1. In the
1970–71 season the Newport team managed by
Bobby Ferguson set an unwanted Football League record by not winning any of their first 25 matches, losing 21 in the process. In the same season Newport equalled the worst defeat of a Football League club by a non-league club when they lost 6–1 to
Barnet in the
FA Cup first round. Results improved in the following season under
Billy Lucas in his third spell as manager and in the
1972–73 season Newport missed out on promotion only on
goal average. For the
1976–77 season the team managed by
Jimmy Scoular changed their playing strip to light blue and white striped shirts, light blue shorts and white socks akin to the Argentina national team in an attempt to turn around their fortunes. However, the team continued to struggle until
Colin Addison took over in January 1977. The season became known as "the great escape" as County avoided relegation with a 1–0 win at home to
Workington in the last game of the season.
Promotion, cup 'glory' and European run in a Third Division clash in 1981 The 1980s heralded both the brightest and darkest moments in Newport County's history.
Len Ashurst was manager from 1978 to 1982, the club's most successful period in its history and under the chairmanship of Richard Ford. In the
1978–79 FA Cup County beat
West Ham United 2–1 in round three before losing 1–0 to
Colchester United in a fourth round replay. In
1980, promotion was finally achieved from the Football League Fourth Division, the club being only five points from being crowned champions although never being in contention to win the league and never being top. County sealed promotion in the last match of the season with a 4–2 win at high-flying
Walsall. Walsall finished second in the league and were also promoted. The team included a young
John Aldridge who later became one of the most prolific goal-scorers in English football history, most famous for helping
Liverpool win the
First Division title in 1988 and FA Cup in 1989, as well as helping
Oxford United win two successive promotions and the
Football League Cup. --> Also in the promotion-winning team was
Tommy Tynan, one of the leading lower-league strikers of his era, who scored the all-important goal that sealed County's promotion. The Newport County squad for the first leg was: 1
Gary Plumley, 2
Richard Walden, 3
John Relish, 4
Grant Davies, 5
Keith Oakes (Captain), 6
Tommy Tynan, 7
Nigel Vaughan, 8
Steve Lowndes, 9
Dave Gwyther, 10
Karl Elsey, 11
Kevin Moore, 12
Neil Bailey, 13
Steve Warriner, 14
Dave Bruton, 15
Bobby Ward, 16
Mark Kendall. In the
1982–83 season Colin Addison, in his second spell as manager, led Newport County to their highest post-war league finish – 4th in the Third Division, just four points behind third-placed
Huddersfield Town. Huddersfield were promoted to the Second Division, along with champions
Portsmouth and local rivals
Cardiff City. County had actually gone top of the table in early April after a 1–0 win over Cardiff in front of 16,052 fans at Somerton Park, but a return of only four points from the last seven games meant County missed out on promotion. County faced
First-Division team
Everton in the third round of the
1982–83 FA Cup. After a 1–1 draw at Newport, Everton won the replay 2–1. In 1986 County reached the FA Cup third round under manager
Bobby Smith, losing 2–0 to
Sunderland. Newport appeared in the
Welsh Cup final again in 1987 under manager
John Lewis, this time losing 1–0 to
Merthyr Tydfil after a replay.
Freefall and bankruptcy Despite reaching the Welsh Cup final, County were relegated from the Third Division in
1987 and in
1988 finished bottom of the Fourth Division with a mere 25 points, meaning that their 60-season stay in the Football League was over. They failed to finish their
first season in the
Conference and finally went out of business on 27 February 1989 with debts of £330,000. They were then expelled from the Conference for failing to fulfil their fixtures. Their record (four wins, seven draws and 19 points from 29 games) was expunged. The BBC Wales current affairs programme
Week in Week Out broadcast a documentary in 1989 about the winding up of Newport County and its controversial owner at the time, American Jerry Sherman.
1989 onwards Reformation and exile In June 1989 the club was reformed by 400 supporters, including David Hando as chairman and, later, club president. Former manager
John Relish was re-appointed team manager and they were elected to the
Hellenic League (then four divisions below the Football League). The club's main aim was to regain the Football League status lost in 1988. The club took on the name "Newport A.F.C." and adopted the nickname The Exiles, as a result of having to play home matches for the 1989–90 season at the
London Road ground in the north
Gloucestershire town of
Moreton-in-Marsh, north-east of Newport.
Newport Council considered the new company to be a continuation of the old, and refused it permission to use Somerton Park on the grounds of unpaid rent. Newport won the Hellenic
double, gaining promotion to the
Southern League.
That litigation proved successful, with a landmark
High Court verdict enabling them to have a permanent home in Newport at the then newly built
Newport Stadium. County lost the home replay 4–1 after
extra time. The following season, then managed by
Peter Nicholas, Newport reached the final of the
FAW Premier Cup beating
Swansea City and
Cardiff City along the way before losing 6–1 in the final against
Wrexham.
Conference South Subsequent reorganisation of the upper divisions of non-league football saw County take their place in the
2004–05 inaugural season of
Conference South, one of the two feeder divisions into the
Football Conference.
Peter Beadle was appointed manager in October 2005 and in the 2006–07 season Newport again reached the first round proper of the FA Cup but lost 3–1 to Swansea City. In the same season, Newport reached the
final of the
FAW Premier Cup for the second time, beating Wrexham along the way but losing 1–0 to
TNS in the final. In 2006–07 Newport finished just one position below the playoffs after losing 2–1 to
Cambridge City on the final day of the season. In the 2007–08 season, Newport won the last-ever
FAW Premier Cup beating
Llanelli 1–0 in the
final, making a total of one win out of three finals. For the second consecutive season a last-day defeat prevented County reaching the Conference South playoffs. In April 2008 Peter Beadle was sacked as club manager, and was replaced by
Dean Holdsworth. In his first full season in charge, Holdsworth led Newport to a 10th-place finish in the league, despite a poor start. Newport went top of the league in September of the 2009–10 season and held onto the top spot for the rest of the season. The league title was won in March 2010 after beating
Havant and Waterlooville 2–0 at Newport Stadium with seven league games remaining. The win made them the first team in the English football leagues to achieve promotion in the 2009–10 season. County finished the season with a Conference South record 103 points, 28 ahead of nearest rivals
Dover Athletic.
Craig Reid was the league's top scorer with 24 goals in the season.
Conference Premier Newport County were promoted to the
Conference Premier for the 2010–11 season, the level they had played at prior to bankruptcy in 1989. Dean Holdsworth left Newport County to become team manager of
League Two club
Aldershot Town on 12 January 2011 with Newport County in fifth place in the Conference Premier table.
Tottenham Hotspur reserve-team coach
Anthony Hudson was announced as the new manager on 1 April 2011. The team finished their first season back in the Conference Premier league in ninth place. After a poor start to the
2011–12 season with the team last-but-one in the table after picking up just a single win out of the first 12 games, Hudson was sacked on 28 September 2011. He was replaced on 4 October 2011 by
Justin Edinburgh with the task of saving County from relegation. Under Edinburgh, County finished in 19th place and so maintained their Conference Premier status. They also reached the
2012 FA Trophy Final and their first
Wembley Stadium appearance coincided with the 100th anniversary of the club. County lost the final 2–0 to
York City who went on to secure promotion to the Football League a week later in a Wembley play-off match. In May 2012, Newport County announced that they had agreed a deal to move to the city's rugby stadium,
Rodney Parade. In August 2012
EuroMillions lottery winner
Les Scadding succeeded Chris Blight as club chairman. In February 2013 a further 10-year lease to play at Rodney Parade was signed. The centenary
2012–13 season saw Newport County finish third in the Conference Premier league, reaching the play-offs for the first time. A 2–0 aggregate win over Grimsby Town in the two-legged play-off semi-final saw Newport County reach the
2013 Conference Premier play-off final at
Wembley Stadium. The final versus Wrexham was the first Wembley final to feature two Welsh teams, and Newport County won 2–0 to return to the Football League after a 25-year absence with promotion to
League Two. County were awarded
Freedom of the City of Newport on 17 August 2013 in recognition of this achievement.
Return to League Two 2013 On their return to the Football League in the
2013–14 season, Newport County finished a creditable 14th in
League Two. On 7 February 2015, with Newport County in sixth place in League Two, it was confirmed that
Justin Edinburgh had been appointed manager at
Gillingham.
Jimmy Dack stepped up from assistant manager at the club to caretaker manager and was later appointed manager until the end of the 2014–15 season. On 29 April, Dack stated he had been offered the manager's job beyond the end of the season but he had decided he would move on after the final game. Newport finished the 2014–15 season in ninth place in League Two.
Terry Butcher was appointed team manager on 30 April 2015. On 18 June 2015 Les Scadding resigned as Newport County chairman and director.
Supporters Trust takeover 2015 On 1 October 2015 Newport County Supporters' Trust took over ownership of the club with Tony Pring appointed interim chairman. Butcher was sacked on the same day, with Newport bottom of League Two after gaining just five points from the first 10 matches of the 2015–16 season.
John Sheridan was appointed team manager on 2 October 2015 until the end of the 2015–16 season and results improved. Sheridan resigned on 13 January 2016 after just 14 league games to take up the manager's job at
Oldham Athletic. Assistant manager
Warren Feeney was promoted to team manager on 15 January 2016. On 18 January 2016 County lost 2–1 to
Championship team
Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup; the first time Newport had reached the third round of the cup since 1986. A good start saw Feeney gain 21 points from his first 12 games but results then worsened. Newport finished the season in 22nd place in League Two, avoiding relegation. Feeney and Todd were sacked by Newport on 28 September 2016 with Newport County bottom of League Two having gained just six points from their first nine matches of the 2016–17 season. First team coach
Sean McCarthy and goalkeeping player/coach
James Bittner were appointed joint caretaker managers. Effective from 10 October 2016
Graham Westley was appointed team manager with
Dino Maamria his assistant and Mccarthy released by the club. On 9 March 2017 Westley and Maamria were sacked with Newport 11 points adrift at the bottom of League Two.
Progress under Michael Flynn 2017–2021 Following the departure of Westley, first team coach
Michael Flynn was appointed caretaker manager for the remaining 12 league matches of the 2016–17 season and
Wayne Hatswell returned to the club as assistant manager. A remarkable recovery saw Newport avoid relegation, sealed by a final day of the season 2–1 victory at home against
Notts County with centre half
Mark O'Brien scoring the 89th-minute winner. The season became known as the second "great escape" in the club's history. On 9 May 2017 Flynn was appointed permanent team manager on a two-year contract. On 7 January 2018 a 2–1 home win over
Championship club
Leeds United in the FA Cup third round meant Newport progressed to the
FA Cup fourth round for the first time since the
1978–79 FA Cup. In the following round, the club was drawn at home to
Premier League club
Tottenham Hotspur. On 27 January 2018 Newport achieved
a creditable 1–1 draw to force a replay at
Wembley Stadium. Tottenham won the replay 2–0. County finished the
2017–18 season in 11th place in League Two. Newport began the
2018–19 creditably, securing 23 points from their first 10 games, losing only twice. On 6 January 2019, County won their home
FA Cup third round tie against
Premier League club
Leicester City 2–1. The subsequent
Fourth round drew Newport in an away match against Championship club
Middlesbrough on 26 January 2019, in which they achieved a 1–1 draw, going on to a home replay victory 2–0 on 5 February 2019. County progressed to the most high-profile fixture in their modern history, the FA Cup fifth round which they had not reached since 1949. The Exiles were rewarded for their success with a home fixture against reigning Premier League champions
Manchester City on 16 February 2019. County lost the match 4–1 with striker
Pádraig Amond scoring a late goal. Amond finished the competition as joint-top scorer with Manchester City striker
Gabriel Jesus. Newport finished the
2018–19 season in 7th place in League Two, thus qualifying for the
League Two play-offs. In the semi-final against
Mansfield Town, Newport drew the first leg 1–1 at home, drew the second leg 0–0 at Mansfield but then won the subsequent penalty shoot-out. In the
League Two play-off final at
Wembley Stadium on 25 May 2019 Newport lost to
Tranmere Rovers 1–0, after a goal in the 119th minute. On 27 August 2019, Newport County faced
West Ham United of the Premier League in the
EFL Cup, losing the tie 2–0. Newport also reached the semi-final of the
EFL Trophy for the first time on 19 February 2020, losing to
Salford City on penalties. The
2019–20 season was suspended on 13 March 2020 due to the
COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, with Newport in 15th place in League Two. The club
furloughed the players, management team and most staff to "protect the long-term financial viability" of the club. The League Two season was formally terminated on 9 June 2020. Points per game was subsequently adopted to determine the final League Two table with Newport County rising one place to 14th in the league. Club chairman Gavin Foxall stated that they expected to lose 40% of their income as a consequence of continued COVID-19 constraints. On 22 September 2020 Newport County beat Championship club
Watford 3–1 at home in the third round of the EFL Cup to reach the fourth round for the first time in the club's history. Newport were drawn at home to Premier League club
Newcastle United in the fourth round and after drawing 1–1 in normal time, Newcastle won the penalty shoot-out. Newport again reached the third round of the 2020–21 FA Cup to face Premier League club
Brighton & Hove Albion at home and lost to Brighton on penalties having drawn 1–1 after extra time. On 19 January 2021, goalkeeper
Tom King scored the first goal of his career with a wind-assisted goal kick in the 12th minute of Newport's 1–1 League Two draw at
Cheltenham Town. His goal was confirmed to have broken the
Guinness World Record for longest football goal, with a distance of 96.01 metres (105 yards), a record previously held by
Asmir Begović. In March 2020 Newport were permitted by the EFL to move two home matches to
Cardiff City Stadium due to the poor condition of the Rodney Parade pitch. Newport finished the
2020–21 season in 5th place in League Two and qualified for the play-offs. Newport beat
Forest Green Rovers 5–4 on aggregate to reach the play-off final for the second time in three seasons. On 31 May 2021, Newport lost 1–0 to
Morecambe in the
League Two play-off final at Wembley Stadium, a contentious 107th-minute penalty. On 25 August 2021, Newport County faced
Southampton of the Premier League in the second round of the 2021–22 EFL Cup but they lost heavily 8–0. Michael Flynn resigned as Newport County manager on 1 October 2021 after nine league matches of the 2021–22 season with Newport 15th in League Two.
2021 onwards Cardiff City first team coach
James Rowberry was appointed Newport County manager on 19 October 2021 with Newport 13th in League Two after 13 league games. Newport finished the 2021–22 League Two season in 11th place. On 10 October 2022, Rowberry was sacked with Newport in 18th place in League Two after 13 league matches of the
2022–23 season. On 20 October 2022,
Graham Coughlan was appointed manager on a two-and-a-half-year contract. Newport reached the third round of the 2022–23 EFL Cup, losing 3–0 to Leicester City of the Premier League in November 2022. Newport finished the 2022–23 season in 15th position in League Two. In August 2023 Newport County reached the second round of the 2023–24 EFL Cup, losing on penalties to
Brentford of the Premier League after drawing 1–1 in normal time. On 24 January 2024 former
Swansea City chairman
Huw Jenkins purchased a controlling interest 52% of shares in Newport County from the Supporters Trust. In February 2024 Newport reached the fourth round of the 2023–24 FA Cup, losing 4–2 to
Manchester United of the
Premier League. Newport finished the 2023–24 season in 18th place in League Two. On 20 June 2024, Graham Coughlan departed the club by mutual consent. On 16 July 2024
Nelson Jardim was appointed as Newport County Head Coach. Jardim left Newport County by mutual consent on 24 April 2025 with the club in 20th position in League Two and safe from relegation with two games to play of the 2024-25 season. Assistant head coach Dafydd Williams stepped up as head coach for those two matches. Newport finished the 2024-25 season in 22nd place in League Two. On 23 May 2025
David Hughes was appointed as team Manager. On 15 November 2025 Hughes was sacked by Newport with the club bottom of League Two on 11 points after 16 league games of the 2025-26 season.
Christian Fuchs was appointed Newport County manager on 20 November 2025. ==Kit manufacturers and sponsors==