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League attendance

Look at 1980-1981 Division Three


Archive England 1980-1981 Division Three

Wednesday 25th August 2021 Newport County v Southampton Attendance: 7,002


Attendance from Wednesday 25th August 2021 to Saturday 9th October 2021

yourfinalanswer wrote: October 18th, 2021, 12:59 am Look at 1980-1981 Division Three


Archive England 1980-1981 Division Three

!980/81.

Mass unemployment at the start of Thatcher's brutal closure of the pits and steelworks. And nowhere in the UK suffered worse than Newport.

And yet in Division 3 County had a higher average gate than Reading, Hull, and Fulham.

So if anyone thinks that somehow Reading is totally different from Newport which is why Newport can't compete, then in my view they're talking nonsense.

Stan A. Einstein wrote: October 24th, 2021, 4:04 pm

yourfinalanswer wrote: October 18th, 2021, 12:59 am Look at 1980-1981 Division Three


Archive England 1980-1981 Division Three

!980/81.

Mass unemployment at the start of Thatcher's brutal closure of the pits and steelworks. And nowhere in the UK suffered worse than Newport.

And yet in Division 3 County had a higher average gate than Reading, Hull, and Fulham.

So if anyone thinks that somehow Reading is totally different from Newport which is why Newport can't compete, then in my view they're talking nonsense.

Newport 2021 population is now estimated to be at 317,707. In 1950, Newport population advanced to 116,824. Newport has grown by 1,336 since 2015, which represents a 0.42% annual change. These population estimates and projections come from the latest revision of the UN World Urbanization Prospects. These estimates represent the Urban agglomeration of Newport, which typically includes the Newport population. Addition to adjacent suburban areas.

Newport is a city that is in Wales, United Kingdom. This city has a history that dates back to medieval times. Today, it is known for being a university city. According to data recorded during the last census, Newport has the third-highest population in Wales, with 145,700 residents.

The urban population of the city is more than double that, surpassing 300,000. Newport is also part of the Cardiff-Newport metro region, which has a population that exceeds 1 million people.


City Size and Population Density

The city of Newport in Wales has a total surface area of 73.35 square miles (190 kilometers squared). The population density had reached 1,910 living per square mile (738 residents living per square kilometer) by the 2011 Census.



Newport History

Newport originally was a Celtic settlement approximately 2,000 years ago. During Medieval times, by the Normans. A motte and bailey castle was .constructed during the 12th century (the year 1140), with remains still standing today.

In the late 1300s, Newport got its first charter. For many years, Newport served as a small seaport. However, during the 19th century, the town’s location made it the ideal spot for exporting coal. Steel production also became popular during this time. The docks constructed in Newport also made Newport a hub for trade.

However, during the early 1900s, the docks went into decline. The Newport Dock Disaster occurred when a trench for construction of an improved port collapsed - trapping and killing workers, and it continued to threaten the lives of those attempting to rescue them. Unemployment rates exceeded 34%, although the town was not hit. Badly, as in other areas.

During the Great Depression, the city continued to struggle but bounced back. Fairly quickly. Llanwern Steelworks was built, in 1962. New roads. Were also built then, the public sector began to thrive, and Newport became home to tech companies. In 2002, Newport got its city status.

Newport Population Growth

Newport has seen steady population growth since the 1800s. At the beginning of the century, there were just over 6,600 residents. This number exceeded 29,000 just 50 years later, then almost reached 50,000 just 30 years later. At the beginning of the 1900s, the city had a population of over 79,000. In the 1940s, the population exceeded 100,000. Now, the population is inching closer to 150,000. Although the rate of growth. Has slowed in recent years, growth continues to be steady, especially with a growing student population attending the University of South Wales.

Stan A. Einstein wrote: October 24th, 2021, 4:04 pm

yourfinalanswer wrote: October 18th, 2021, 12:59 am Look at 1980-1981 Division Three


Archive England 1980-1981 Division Three

!980/81.

Mass unemployment at the start of Thatcher's brutal closure of the pits and steelworks. And nowhere in the UK suffered worse than Newport.

And yet in Division 3 County had a higher average gate than Reading, Hull, and Fulham.

So if anyone thinks that somehow Reading is totally different from Newport which is why Newport can't compete, then in my view they're talking nonsense.

I think it proves that unlike Reading, at that time we had an exciting, enjoyable, quality and successful side to watch. No link to population whatsoever.

Stan, as so often you are citing ancient history. Thatcher taking office is halfway back in time to Stanley Baldwin.

I've never heard anyone say "Reading is totally different from Newport which is why Newport can't compete", that's just another echo inside your head. But I know quite a bit about Reading, having lived there since the year before Thatcher became PM, and by any economic index it has been a more prosperous place throughout that time.

The football club took off because it was bankrolled by one of the richest men in the country at the time and owned an older ground in a prime area for housing development. That said, it seems to have got into bed with some very dodgy foreign (and overseas) investors since John Madejski stepped back.

The point being George is that although you always find an excuse for failure, the people of Newport are no different to anybody else.
This old trope about County having substandard gates because our city isn't interested in football simply is not true. What is true is that the people of Newport are not going to pay good money to watch substandard football in a sub standard stadium.
As for ancient history, as Voltaire said. History repeats itself; firstly as tragedy and secondly as farce.

Stan A. Einstein wrote: October 25th, 2021, 9:18 am The point being George is that although you always find an excuse for failure, the people of Newport are no different to anybody else...

You are making stuff up again. What failure? When have I ever? I support a club which has been relegated once in 32 years. Failure? I'm not the one who looks down on his home town to the extent of saying - of a key member of the landlord's staff - "Typical Newport. Quite prepared to give out stick, whines like a piglet at the merest hint of criticism."

What I'll admit to is looking for explanations why some clubs do better than others, going a bit beyond looking up populations on Wikipedia. Numerous clubs with advantages Newport lacks have done much, much worse even in recent years.

Stan A. Einstein wrote: October 25th, 2021, 9:18 am The point being George is that although you always find an excuse for failure, the people of Newport are no different to anybody else.
This old trope about County having substandard gates because our city isn't interested in football simply is not true. What is true is that the people of Newport are not going to pay good money to watch substandard football in a sub standard stadium.
As for ancient history, as Voltaire said. History repeats itself; firstly as tragedy and secondly as farce.

"Substandard football in a substandard stadium"

Oh dear, more ancient history. You obviously haven't seen County at Rodney Parade this season then.......

Just to update you, it's Bristol Rovers that own a substandard stadium. They have a crowd twice the size of ours, a bigger fan base, and yet they get stuffed at home by us?

They used to play at Eastville which had dog racing and speedway, like Somerton Park. They sold it to IKEA, and then moved to Bath before joining with Bristol Rugby at the memorial ground. They ended up as cuckoo's in the nest, when the Rugby couldn't afford the upkeep of the ground and went bust.

A similar history at AFC Wimbledon, who purchased Kingsmeadow from Kingstonian who were struggling with the upkeep.

Also Newport Rugby ended up owning Rodney Parade as cuckoo's when they kept electing rugby supporters to the board overseeing Newport Althletic Club. I trust I don't need to furnish you with the details of how owning Rodney Parade ended for Newport Rugby, but you can see the pattern developing yes?

Even the once mighty Coventry City couldn't afford the rent on the part Council/part Charity owned 33,000 seater Ricoh Stadium. They had to move out to spend more money on the team to first stabilise, and then improve their finances and league standard.
Now that gates have improved, they have been able to meet the rent of such a vast stadium.

George Street-Bridge wrote: October 25th, 2021, 10:00 am

Stan A. Einstein wrote: October 25th, 2021, 9:18 am The point being George is that although you always find an excuse for failure, the people of Newport are no different to anybody else...

You are making stuff up again. What failure? When have I ever? I support a club which has been relegated once in 32 years. Failure? I'm not the one who looks down on his home town to the extent of saying - of a key member of the landlord's staff - "Typical Newport. Quite prepared to give out stick, whines like a piglet at the merest hint of criticism."

What I'll admit to is looking for explanations why some clubs do better than others, going a bit beyond looking up populations on Wikipedia. Numerous clubs with advantages Newport lacks have done much, much worse even in recent years.

There's a selective view of history. Once relegated in 32 years. George the Newport post code has over 300,000 inhabitants. Most of that 32 years was spent in Division 6 or below. We are now in Division 4. That for me is the very minimum level we should be playing at.

Now if you want to look for reasons as to why we don't do as well as we should, then I'm with you. But sadly George that isn't what you do. If you say that the lack of a fit for purpose stadium hinders our progress. Or that paying out rent and paying for ground improvements for a stadium we will never own and from which we might be evicted then I agree. My problem with you is that rather than say "That is a problem, what can we do about it?" Your reaction is to use it as an excuse. And when pushed come up with factually correct but ultimately misleading comments like 'I support a club who have only been relegated once in 32 years.'

One thing for you to contemplate. Since I started watching football in the mid 1960's I have seen well over a hundred clubs play in League football. Arsenal, Liverpool and Everton are the only three who have not been relegated. Sooner or later County will be relegated. If we remain in Division 4 that means non-league. As we have no infrastructure as a club I think we will share the fate of those who wither away. We need to fix the roof whilst the sun shines. You and those like you appear to me to be like those who don't get that winter always comes.

You having supported the team since the 60s and obviously now being vociferous about what should or should not have been done in the 90s, I'm surprised I have no recollection of you being involved in the very active Over the Bridge Exiles group or the well-supported email list that brought together supporters from all over the place. Both were melting-pots for the sort of things we now discuss here.

Don’t have a horse in this discussion but think it’s worth pointing out the Newport population is probably more like 128k. We aren’t very big. The built up area reaches 300k but less than half are in typically County areas.

Elsewhere many wouldn’t say they’re from Newport, eg those in Blackwood, Ystrad, Cwmbran or Pontypool. In those areas, I’m sure there are many fans of the elite clubs, and many who followed Cardiff City during their PL seasons. Probably best to assume our fan catchment is c. 150k

for the detail

landinho wrote: October 25th, 2021, 12:31 pm Don’t have a horse in this discussion but think it’s worth pointing out the Newport population is probably more like 128k. We aren’t very big. The built up area reaches 300k but less than half are in typically County areas.

Elsewhere many wouldn’t say they’re from Newport, eg those in Blackwood, Ystrad, Cwmbran or Pontypool. In those areas, I’m sure there are many fans of the elite clubs, and many who followed Cardiff City during their PL seasons. Probably best to assume our fan catchment is c. 150k

https://imgur.com/a/mjgh7yH for the detail

The population of Newport is around 155,000. And growing.

You are right about Cwmbran, Pontypool etc but the question should be why do people in Cwmbran support Cardiff not Newport. My experience at Croesyceiliog school, 45 years ago was that County followers outnumbered Cardiff supporters by quite some number. I see your point and it is valid. My point though is we shouldn't let a reason become an excuse.

If you are an ambitious club then you are looking to having success in order to increase your fan base (and ultimately increase revenues coming in). But what is success? Some might say that keeping a club in the EFL while having a lower half League 2 budget is success and to some degree they are correct. Others would suggest progressing in Cup competitions and beating Premier League and Championship teams along the way is success and certainly that has helped the bank balance and possibly increased the fan base over the past few years.

But real success comes with promotion. The cup runs have increased County's profile both locally and nationally and it is no surprise that revenues increased prior to the pandemic. It is difficult to assess attendances at this point but the average attendance seemed to be increasing year on year until restrictions arrived and probably would have seen some increase in the past two seasons had there been no pandemic. I feel County had stagnated in the last couple of years with poor signings, no obvious progression of the Academy and perhaps some lack of ambition.

If County want to progress then they have to get themselves promoted to League 1 and be able to stay there. From a playing point of view this means being defensively sound, competitive in midfield and able to break down opponents when in attack. There is work to be done in all three of these aspects this season. Attractive football is likely to increase attendances, though while Covid remains (and in record numbers) in the community and with Covid passports needed for admission to RP it is likely that attendance figures could start coming down again. Though most on here would like to see attractive football, we would all possibly forego that for a promotion place.

That is a short-term plan - promotion and then remain. Personally if the club were to divert all their available money (without going into debt) on that short-term plan I would have little issue with that. But the club does need a long-term plan and to communicate it to their supporters. I want to know that the club are looking into building decent training facilities, that they are improving the identification of Academy players with potential and tailoring their training to develop them better, that they have a plan to build a multi-purpose stadium that they can afford to run and maintain.

I want my club to tell me that they have ambitions, what those ambitions are and how they propose to achieve those ambitions. All we have is silence...