just a few moments that stick out in my fading memory :-
The wonderful inaugural meeting at Lysaghts when David Hando announced the club was to reform with the team under John Relish as manager. Then wondering where the hell Morton in Marsh was.
The great people of Morton and how they took us in when it seemed every man's hand was turned against us in Wales.
The sound of "County" " County" ringing around Ninian Park as Newport AFC held Cardiff City to only a 1 nil win in their first season.
The sight of a stag, ghostly against the full moon, leaping across the road in the Forest of Dean as I drove to Meadow Lane.
Being at the High Court in London when the judge came in and announced that he had not awarded damages.I asked Ray Taylor what that meant and he said that it meant that we had won.
Re: NEWPORT AFC..... how did it FEEL at the time?
17As far as the name change is concerned,it was never the intention of the club to become County.The name was bought for £8k purely to stop Sherman or anyone else using the name.Then ten years down the line,there was a vote to see whether fans wanted County in the name.In fact the majority wanted to remain Newport AFC with second choice having County and AFC in the title and a smaller number wanting to revert to County without AFC in the title.Somehow,the board decided to add the votes for the second and third choices together to beat the AFC vote.My other problem was then putting AFC at the end where for a while it was left off.We should have been AFC Newport County as we,like AFC Wimbledon,were a new club but with fans,committee and players from the old.
Re: NEWPORT AFC..... how did it FEEL at the time?
18Percy plunkett wrote:As far as the name change is concerned,it was never the intention of the club to become County.The name was bought for £8k purely to stop Sherman or anyone else using the name.Then ten years down the line,there was a vote to see whether fans wanted County in the name.In fact the majority wanted to remain Newport AFC with second choice having County and AFC in the title and a smaller number wanting to revert to County without AFC in the title.Somehow,the board decided to add the votes for the second and third choices together to beat the AFC vote.My other problem was then putting AFC at the end where for a while it was left off.We should have been AFC Newport County as we,like AFC Wimbledon,were a new club but with fans,committee and players from the old.
Now my recollection was that the fans voted overwhelmingly to revert back to Newport County
Your right about the AFC bit mind because I've said before every club has AFC after the name
Re: NEWPORT AFC..... how did it FEEL at the time?
19My recollection is that we had a vote and then the owners chose a name that wasn't on the ballot papers.
Re: NEWPORT AFC..... how did it FEEL at the time?
20I don't think the actual numbers were published,but AFC was the winner so that should have been the result.The board concocted the result by saying more fans wanted County in the name by adding two scores together.Now of course,a few years later fans may well have decided to vote again with a different result but at the time,it was wrong to change the name.UPTHEPORT wrote:Percy plunkett wrote:As far as the name change is concerned,it was never the intention of the club to become County.The name was bought for £8k purely to stop Sherman or anyone else using the name.Then ten years down the line,there was a vote to see whether fans wanted County in the name.In fact the majority wanted to remain Newport AFC with second choice having County and AFC in the title and a smaller number wanting to revert to County without AFC in the title.Somehow,the board decided to add the votes for the second and third choices together to beat the AFC vote.My other problem was then putting AFC at the end where for a while it was left off.We should have been AFC Newport County as we,like AFC Wimbledon,were a new club but with fans,committee and players from the old.
Now my recollection was that the fans voted overwhelmingly to revert back to Newport County
Your right about the AFC bit mind because I've said before every club has AFC after the name
Re: NEWPORT AFC..... how did it FEEL at the time?
21You can probably blame me for that. At the time I assumed Newport County would win hand's down, so put forward Newport County Borough to challenge it. To my astonishment it somehow ended up on the ballot papers. There wasn't an outright winner so the then Chairman John Williams added the few that voted for Borough to make sure Newport County won.Percy plunkett wrote:I don't think the actual numbers were published,but AFC was the winner so that should have been the result.The board concocted the result by saying more fans wanted County in the name by adding two scores together.Now of course,a few years later fans may well have decided to vote again with a different result but at the time,it was wrong to change the name.UPTHEPORT wrote:Percy plunkett wrote:As far as the name change is concerned,it was never the intention of the club to become County.The name was bought for £8k purely to stop Sherman or anyone else using the name.Then ten years down the line,there was a vote to see whether fans wanted County in the name.In fact the majority wanted to remain Newport AFC with second choice having County and AFC in the title and a smaller number wanting to revert to County without AFC in the title.Somehow,the board decided to add the votes for the second and third choices together to beat the AFC vote.My other problem was then putting AFC at the end where for a while it was left off.We should have been AFC Newport County as we,like AFC Wimbledon,were a new club but with fans,committee and players from the old.
Now my recollection was that the fans voted overwhelmingly to revert back to Newport County
Your right about the AFC bit mind because I've said before every club has AFC after the name
Re: NEWPORT AFC..... how did it FEEL at the time?
22You can probably blame me for that. At the time I assumed Newport County would win hand's down, so put forward Newport County Borough to challenge it. To my astonishment it somehow ended up on the ballot papers. There wasn't an outright winner so the then Chairman John Williams added the few that voted for Borough to make sure Newport County won
.....................................................................................................................................................................................................
....... wasn't there / isn't there still, ALREADY a club called Newport County Borough in Shropshire, playing in amber & black?
EDIT*.... Found it, SHROPSHIRE COUNTY PREMIER LEAGUE:
DIVISION ONE (12 TEAMS, unchanged)
Brown Clee
Church Stretton
Clee Hill United (relegated)
FC Hodnet
Meole Brace
Morda United Reserves
Newport County Borough (relegated)
Oakengates Athletic
Wellington Amateurs Reserves
Whitchurch Alport Reserves (1st team play in Cheshire Football League D2)
Wrockwardine Wood
Wroxeter Rovers
.....................................................................................................................................................................................................
....... wasn't there / isn't there still, ALREADY a club called Newport County Borough in Shropshire, playing in amber & black?
EDIT*.... Found it, SHROPSHIRE COUNTY PREMIER LEAGUE:
DIVISION ONE (12 TEAMS, unchanged)
Brown Clee
Church Stretton
Clee Hill United (relegated)
FC Hodnet
Meole Brace
Morda United Reserves
Newport County Borough (relegated)
Oakengates Athletic
Wellington Amateurs Reserves
Whitchurch Alport Reserves (1st team play in Cheshire Football League D2)
Wrockwardine Wood
Wroxeter Rovers
Re: NEWPORT AFC..... how did it FEEL at the time?
23As much as I'd never want us to go back to the non league, the memories and places we went to are great. One of my favourite photos is of me stood in front of the Newport isle of White ground with the board saying Newport I O W verses Newport County. Shame my ex wife destroyed it. We literally took over every ground we played at but I never felt our attitude was billy big balls. In the days of Lowndes, Jones, Ceri Williams etc we played champagne football for that level. We were box office everywhere we went which, after our struggles in the league, was quite exciting.
The ones who were there I could recognize anywhere, after all, there were only a few hundred realistically, but I'm so glad my boys have only seen us rise and rise. I'd never go back but they were great days.
The ones who were there I could recognize anywhere, after all, there were only a few hundred realistically, but I'm so glad my boys have only seen us rise and rise. I'd never go back but they were great days.
Re: NEWPORT AFC..... how did it FEEL at the time?
24Moreton was fantastic.
Visiting places like Ruislip Park, Potlottyn Blast Furnace and Abingdon was very surreal.
We always were welcomed by these clubs.
I miss the friendly with Moreton. I know they have a new team now but it would still be nice to play them every pre-season.
The Supporters Club were ace that year running busses to places not many knew existed.
Visiting places like Ruislip Park, Potlottyn Blast Furnace and Abingdon was very surreal.
We always were welcomed by these clubs.
I miss the friendly with Moreton. I know they have a new team now but it would still be nice to play them every pre-season.
The Supporters Club were ace that year running busses to places not many knew existed.
Re: NEWPORT AFC..... how did it FEEL at the time?
25After we lost 1-2 at Armitage 90 with the smell of pigs wafting through the ground my friend and colleague Jim (a Wrexham supporter) couldn't believe how bad we were. I tried to explain that this was a blip and we were onward and upward and would get back to the league.
"" Not in your lifetime M-----" he replied.
"" Not in your lifetime M-----" he replied.
Re: NEWPORT AFC..... how did it FEEL at the time?
26I learned that we had become Newport County AFC whilst in the Railway pub in Redditch shortly after Christmas (1999 or 2001). I was a little surprised but definitely pleased. My old Ss United mate Gerry (long grey hair) told me all about the lead up. Living away most of my info came from Wallace Brown and the Hotline.
Re: NEWPORT AFC..... how did it FEEL at the time?
27BLOODY BRILLIANT...........
After the despair of the old club going to the wall I never expected us to ever re-start and worried where I was going to get my fix after having to retire from playing due to numerous injuries.
I tried Cardiff City , Bristol City , Bristol Rovers , Albion Rovers , Caerleon and even Undy on Saturday afternoons in our year between death and reformation...It never felt the same as watching my beloved NEWPORT COUNTY........
I went to every single game , home and away for the first three years after our formation and never once felt that the home sides had nothing but good feelings for us. I knew numerous players in our first few seasons either from socialising or working with them and it made it feel extra special too.
I personally loved every minute of going around the country finding clubs I had never heard of before...( winning most of the games probably helped too).
I too had the usual...Why are you wasting your time following 'that lot' for as they will never get back into the Football League
After the despair of the old club going to the wall I never expected us to ever re-start and worried where I was going to get my fix after having to retire from playing due to numerous injuries.
I tried Cardiff City , Bristol City , Bristol Rovers , Albion Rovers , Caerleon and even Undy on Saturday afternoons in our year between death and reformation...It never felt the same as watching my beloved NEWPORT COUNTY........
I went to every single game , home and away for the first three years after our formation and never once felt that the home sides had nothing but good feelings for us. I knew numerous players in our first few seasons either from socialising or working with them and it made it feel extra special too.
I personally loved every minute of going around the country finding clubs I had never heard of before...( winning most of the games probably helped too).
I too had the usual...Why are you wasting your time following 'that lot' for as they will never get back into the Football League
Re: NEWPORT AFC..... how did it FEEL at the time?
28The farmer was actually out spreading slurry in the next field during the game! I've always suspected he had fallen out with the club's owner.Special branch wrote: ... Armitage 90 with the smell of pigs wafting through the ground ... .
Re: NEWPORT AFC..... how did it FEEL at the time?
29Duplicate
Last edited by George Street-Bridge on January 24th, 2019, 12:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: NEWPORT AFC..... how did it FEEL at the time?
30You are right George, there was a dispute with the farmer resulting in the muck spreading for each home game.George Street-Bridge wrote:The farmer was actually out spreading slurry in the next field during the game! I've always suspected he had fallen out with the club's owner.Special branch wrote: ... Armitage 90 with the smell of pigs wafting through the ground ... .
It was almost as bad as the smell from the Doc Martens factory at R&D.