This was my first trip of any sort to Newport in, strewth, at least 18 months. Is the weather always this good?

At around 1.30 I wandered into town for a quick pre-match beer and was struck by High Street's apparent metamorphosis into a European town square, with seemingly every bar having outdoor seating. It was really very nice.

I turned up at the ground to discover the ticket office had relocated to the east side of the Bisley stand. Cunningly they'd arranged the ticket booths in a weird order resulting in some of those looking to collect tickets standing, oblivious, in the sales queue. Even one of the players' wives made the same mistake as me .

Ticket sorted I made my way to the 100 club, but that had been reconfigured. These days 100 club ticket holders seem to have to access their seat via the smoking area and refreshments area. It means quite a few more steps to negotiate, which is a shame for the less mobile.

The reason for this is a new row of posh seats immediately outside the lounges/executive boxes, separated from the regular supporters by a glass balustrade. It's a nice idea, as it affords box-inhabitants a way of watching in the fresh air without having to mix directly with the great unwashed. Though by the same token I feel it will reduce the appeal of the 100 club for some.

I half-expected a crowd of 5000 so felt a bit disappointed, though as others have said, the glorious weather, plus the need to queue up with the kids at Clarks, may have had a bearing on the attendance.

It was an enjoyable game, though had Orient made their chances count we may well have been out of it by half-time. Harry Smith is a big fellow. Who on Earth could have foreseen that he'd cause 5' 7" Dolan problems in the air? The positives are that 1) Flynn eventually, via his use of subs, got his lineup near enough right, and 2) that Cooper and Livermore offer County some really exciting possibilities in midfield. It will be very exciting having those two supplying Collins with chances.

In each of the past few seasons I've written off Bennett, yet he always seems to bounce back and make a solid contribution. Maybe, with the ravages of time, he'll be used primarily on heavier pitches where his lack of pace is less likely to be exploited.

Anyway. It's great to be back.

I have been told that people with commoners seats in the Bisley were upsetting the prawn sandwich brigade by using the toilets meant for them. No wonder a new wall has been built complete with facilities for boiling oil to be used if things get out of hand again.

The metal barrier holding the glass couldnt be at a worse height. It is right in your line of sight. I do think it is a good idea though. People have paid a lot for the boxes and all and sundry were walking up the seats and enterring them

big baz wrote:The metal barrier holding the glass couldnt be at a worse height. It is right in your line of sight. I do think it is a good idea though. People have paid a lot for the boxes and all and sundry were walking up the seats and enterring them

So to speak

mad norm wrote:

big baz wrote:The metal barrier holding the glass couldnt be at a worse height. It is right in your line of sight. I do think it is a good idea though. People have paid a lot for the boxes and all and sundry were walking up the seats and enterring them

So to speak

My matchday experience was a little underwhelming. Firstly the pitch and surrounding areas were look resplendent. However there was still no clock and the scoreboard was completely defunct! As for the queue for beer under the compeed stand haven't seen such a disorganized rabble in a long time...game was entertaining though.

As well as no clocks or scoreboard, there was no electronic advertising in front of the old stand. Maybe a problem with the cabling?

Did the club make it mandatory not to wear a mask? as appart from myself i only seen about 6 other people in the bisley wearing one,........Bad form i would say.

llanwern exile wrote:Did the club make it mandatory not to wear a mask? as appart from myself i only seen about 6 other people in the bisley wearing one,........Bad form i would say.

You don't require a mask except under concourse and then only if you're not eating or drinking

robster wrote:-

My matchday experience was a little underwhelming. Firstly the pitch and surrounding areas were look resplendent. However there was still no clock and the scoreboard was completely defunct! As for the queue for beer under the compeed stand haven't seen such a disorganized rabble in a long time...game was entertaining though.

Pretty similar for the Northampton match - still no clock, scoreboard and electronic ad boards, plus this time no music and game not entertaining!

From a quick look at the marquee it's going to be some time yet before that is back in action and the gloomy concrete bar area behind the Bisley with no seating and inflated prices is hardly appealing.

UPTHEPORT wrote:

llanwern exile wrote:Did the club make it mandatory not to wear a mask? as appart from myself i only seen about 6 other people in the bisley wearing one,........Bad form i would say.

You don't require a mask except under concourse and then only if you're not eating or drinking

Just because people aren't required to, it doesn't mean they shouldn't. I'd have hoped that in a crowded concourse, people would have the sense to mask up. I was surprised at the Orient game when walking through the concourse in a mask to have a steward come up to me and tell me to take it off as I didn't have to wear it! Not the advice we should be giving out.

George Street-Bridge wrote:As well as no clocks or scoreboard, there was no electronic advertising in front of the old stand. Maybe a problem with the cabling?

Just a guess, but maybe down to the Dragons not having played a home match yet?

Amberexile wrote:

George Street-Bridge wrote:As well as no clocks or scoreboard, there was no electronic advertising in front of the old stand. Maybe a problem with the cabling?

Just a guess, but maybe down to the Dragons not having played a home match yet?

As I understand it the scoreboard is being upgraded and, as such, there's a lot of electrical work going on behind the scenes hence the lack of timers, music, ect.

Glyn.

I was reminded a couple of days ago that it was the 40th anniversary of a match away at Bristol City which we controlled for large parts, led early, missed a pen before half-time before succumbing to two long range strikes from Jimmy Mann. But what I remember most about the day was the relentless rain. There was a great away following and we were packed in the open (oh, SO very open) away terrace. Apart from the driving rain, the missed pen, the sickener of City's comeback there was some fairly antagonistic policing. One County fan in the thick of things was wearing a toy plastic police helmet, which was amusing. It's funny the little things one remembers.

I never managed to read my match programme because by the time I got home the rain had more or less pulped it. When it dried out it was simply a 3 mm piece of cardboard. What a miserable matchday experience THAT was.

40 years ago. Crumbs.

JonD wrote:I was reminded a couple of days ago that it was the 40th anniversary of a match away at Bristol City which we controlled for large parts, led early, missed a pen before half-time before succumbing to two long range strikes from Jimmy Mann. But what I remember most about the day was the relentless rain. There was a great away following and we were packed in the open (oh, SO very open) away terrace. Apart from the driving rain, the missed pen, the sickener of City's comeback there was some fairly antagonistic policing. One County fan in the thick of things was wearing a toy plastic police helmet, which was amusing. It's funny the little things one remembers.

I never managed to read my match programme because by the time I got home the rain had more or less pulped it. When it dried out it was simply a 3 mm piece of cardboard. What a miserable matchday experience THAT was.

40 years ago. Crumbs.

Yes I was at that one too and there’s just one little detail I remember ( a bit like your plastic policeman’s helmet ). I was in a crocodile being escorted by the police when a City fan appeared over a wall and was about to aim something at the County fans, a mounted policeman pulled his horses reins to the right with the result that the animal “ nutted “ the Bristol fan back over the wall, bright spot of the fixture for me and the funniest police incident I’ve seen