Newport County  

The present Newport County club were formed from the ashes of the famous County Football League club which had been formed in 1912 joining the Football League in 1930.   

Although the former Newport County 59 year membership of the League wasn’t blessed with much success, the club won the Third Division South in 1939 just in time for the Second World war to put an end to competitive football, it was still a shock when the club folded in 1989.   

At the start of the 1980s Newport had won promotion from the Fourth Division, won the Welsh Cup and even reached the quarter-final of the UEFA Cup.   

Another Welsh Cup win was recorded in 1987 but the end was in sight for the Somerton Park club.  Successive relegations found Newport County in the Conference and unable to fulfil their fixtures folded in February 1989. 

The new Newport FC were formed just four months later and adopted the nickname ‘The Exiles’ and joined the Hellenic League.   

The nickname came about  because they had to play their first season in exile in the Gloucestershire town of Moreton-in-Marsh.  Newport managed to attract crowds of around 500 to their temporary home and remarkably won the Hellenic league and cup double in their first season. 

Promotion to the Southern League followed and the club also made a nostalgic return to Somerton Park.  The return was brief and legal action meant that the club were once again exiled to Gloucestershire.   

Fortunately, following a High Court case, the club were not only able to secure their place in the English Pyramid but they were also able to return to Wales and take up residency in the newly built Newport Stadium.   

The Southern League Midlands title was won in 1995 and four years later the club once again adopted the ‘Newport County’ name.   

and relegation quickly followed but, after the re-organisation of the Football Pyramid Newport County found themselves in the newly formed Conference South. 

The club have picked up plenty of silverware since their return from exile making the Gwent Senior Cup almost their own property with eight wins in nine years.  County also reached the final of the FAW Premier Cup on two occasions.  

2006/07 saw Newport County just miss out on a play-off place after finishing sixth in Conference South but the club remain only 2 promotions away from a return to the Football League.