Relegation thread

[GTFCfish]

Grimsby to Doncaster is a damn dight closer than Hartlepool to Blackpool though.
We took over 4000 to Darlo when our average crowd was around 5000

Yeah I know it is, I was simply pointing out that the 33% of home support taken away was not a record as glasshalffullpools thought it might be.

 

[Glasshalffullpools]

It's over 1200 now ...the % is creeping up

 

[PiedPiper]

Yeah I know it is, I was simply pointing out that the 33% of home support taken away was not a record as glasshalffullpools thought it might be.

Well 33% is nothing on Mansfield's over 100% when they play at Meadow Lane. It must be a bit embarrassing at that point for Mansfield fans surely?

 

[Sestonpoolie]

Well 33% is nothing on Mansfield's over 100% when they play at Meadow Lane. It must be a bit embarrassing at that point for Mansfield fans surely?

You can't really blame them for wanting to get out of Mansfield for a couple of hours though

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

So Newport gain a point on the rest of the pack with a hard-earned draw with Luton despite having 10 men. This takes them to 33 points, 6 points off Cheltenham and 8 points off Hartlepool.

However, Newport need wins and fast with their woeful record against the top sides continuing. The bottom four are all away this weekend with Hartlepool at Blackpool, Cheltenham at Barnet, Newport at Portsmouth and Leyton Orient at Crawley. Winnable fixtures for all bar Newport on paper, especially given Barnet are in freefall and Crawley haven't won at home for a fair while. Though many might say the relegation scrap is over right now I wouldn't count my chickens just yet!

Barring miraculous form from the bottom two, I genuinely think 45 will be enough to stay up, purely because I can't see Newport or Orient winning 4 games (or indeed winning 3 and drawing 3) for the rest of the season. However, with Hartlepool and Cheltenham not quite there yet, the relegation "battle" limps on.

 

[WAP]

Newport have beaten us at FP 3 seasons running and I don't think we've scored once.

 

[Glasshalffullpools]

I agree with 45 being safe , from a Pools point of view that means 1 win and a draw , with an extra draw to be on the safe side , that means we can lose 5 of the last 8 , something we are capable of ! .... seriously though we have 4 games that we should get 4 to 6 points from , Barnet and Carlisle home and Morecambe and Orient away .... its not over by any means yet for Newport , but nothing less than a win against Crawley at home is required

 

[Roger Stone]

Newport have beaten us at FP 3 seasons running and I don't think we've scored once.

We've also beaten Carlisle each time we've played since getting back in the FL. 5 wins on the bounce. 29 April will be a formality.

 

[LongEatonPie]

Looking at our fixtures:
Wyc A
Col H
Car A
Cre A
Por H
Lut A
Bla H
New A

I would hope we could pick up 7-9 points from those games. Newport away could be a stinker last game though.

 

[Glasshalffullpools]

Notts County would have to lose the lot to go down ....there's at least 3 draws in those fixtures ..

 

[North_Cheshire_Alex]

If the Alex win away on Saturday then we can unofficially feel safe and celebrate what will be in league placings possibly our worst league position in over 30 years, all down to Davies and the board. Surely the board must be kicking themselves that they did not sack Davies off after the vile sent us down. Oh well, Davies is gone and hopefully next season will be entertaining as we have a manger now who will praise and slate the players and himself in equal measure, as opposed to teflon Davies. Come on, one more win so i can stop reading this thread. Good luck to all team in this horrible situation, and good luck for next season to those that fall out the trap door.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

The reason why we were in this relegation battle was 75% down to that twat of a manager before and 25% down to the board.

As NCA says, Davis should've gone long before this season. However, I think potentially sacking him after relegation at the Vale was extremely generous. I'd have binned him off in August 2014 when we opened the season with 5 straight defeats in the league. Failing that, the spineless final day performance vs Bradford that season which saw us get bailed out by Gillingham in the dying minutes of the season was the final straw for me. He should never have managed a single game of the historically bad 2015-16 season let alone this current season.

The board are to blame for not sacking Davis when there were many opportunities to do so, but to their partial credit, they backed that prick this season with a glut of experienced signings that were proven at League One level, let alone this level (unlike the previous two seasons) and he got off to a decent start but it was clear then we weren't playing particularly well. Soon enough, the predictable woeful form everyone expected kicked in and we spent a couple of months in freefall. Sacking that self-indulgent prick and fucking off Lowe and Davis Jnr were the best things that have happened to this club for a very long time.

But you just have to see the signs since that great day on the 8th January when we finally toppled the seemingly invincible Davis. Not ONE of our contracted players wished him well when he was deservedly ousted. These were a squad of players either signed by him or given their first professional contracts by him. That speaks volumes about the horrible culture he bestowed upon us. The only player that "thanked" him was a half-arsed comment of appreciation from Chelsea loanee Alex Kiwomya. I wouldn't thank someone who thought he was infallible every time he failed. Who would throw a team of young lads who were part of a never-ending losing culture during his time at the club under the bus each week? He never once inspired them, he bored the fans with his stubborn lack of tactics and his defensive football often led to us scoring little and conceding loads. Where's the entertainment in that?

The unprecedented renaissance of George Ray and Ben Nugent has been a joy to watch after a long spell on the sidelines thanks to Davis. It was clear that Steve Davis' primary motive was to prioritise his injury-prone, overpaid and overrated son's development over the rest of the squad. Thankfully, his release is due in early May after he went on strike when Daddy got sacked.

Dave Artell has played a blinder with two key signings (Callum Cooke and Jordan Bowery) that have steered us well clear of trouble and he has finally injected tons of confidence into our star forward Chris Dagnall. Unlike his incompetent predecessor, the great man knows a player when he sees one.

All-in-all, what was about to be the worst season in my 16 seasons of supporting this football club was saved by a club legend who has made a spectacularly good transition to first team manager when we needed someone to save us. Dave Artell makes me want to watch my club again and that has been the only significant victory of this painstakingly dull and languid season.

Whilst I respect those Crewe fans who are grateful to what Davis originally did for us, I long forgot those memories when that man verbally abused fans after multiple games when the pressure was on him. I forgot those memories when he said "only the real fans understand this club" when we were on the sixth long winless run we endured under him. I forgot those memories when I paid £60 to watch us play for "a brilliant point" at the mighty Barnet when they should've battered us 4-0. I forgot those memories when he said "Take out the five goals and there was nothing between us and Coventry", that day the men with white coats should've taken him away for good.

May this fraud of a man never manage a football club again, because you'll question why the fuck do you even put up with an obnoxious, walking and talking, self-indulgent excuse merchant who was placed upon a pedestal because he won promotion with one of the most ready-made talented teams League Two has ever seen? That twat ruined my club to the point where I questioned my own enjoyment in going to watch us play. Whilst many voted with their feet, I'm glad I stayed because I believe we're through the worst of it now. The spectacular demand for half-season tickets going on sale the day of his sacking was probably the most amusing part of this season which says a lot about it in the first place!

I look forward to the 2017-18 season, which we should be playing at this level bar a collapse of biblical proportions and a Newport/Orient miracle, with the last of the Davis baggage finally placed upon the scrapheap in the Summer and I look forward to a seemingly bright future under the great Dave Artell win lose or draw. Let's hope the board finally back a man who is extremely popular with all fans of the club after years of division within the fanbase.

DARAWA!

 

[PaulHaddock]

you don't like Steve Davis then

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

you don't like Steve Davis then

I hold as much vitriol towards him as that bloke that notoriously despised your entire 2009-10 squad!

 

[North_Cheshire_Alex]

This is a fucking beautiful post, sums up Davis and the clubs situation much more articulately then I ever could. I actually love the fact that Big Dave took Davis job, as it was Davis who fucked DA off a few days after he lifted the play off final trophy, guess Dave has had the last laugh as 90% of Alex fans despise Davis, and Dave's legend status just grows and grows. Plus I wonder why Davis wanted rid of an experienced centre back who was our captain and inspiration, surely not nepotism....

 

[LongEatonPie]

Does anyone other than the fans like Newport County. News today that they are going to have to leave RP as Gwent Dragons will be installing a 4G pitch.

It literally seems that Newport are having the carpet pulled from underneath them from all angles.

 

[Super_horns]

Given the comments and lack of positive relationship between the football and rugby clubs its hardly a surprise!

 

[PiedPiper]

Does anyone other than the fans like Newport County. News today that they are going to have to leave RP as Gwent Dragons will be installing a 4G pitch.

It literally seems that Newport are having the carpet pulled from underneath them from all angles.

If they're in the conference, they'll be fine on a 4G pitch

 

[Roger Stone]

Does anyone other than the fans like Newport County. News today that they are going to have to leave RP as Gwent Dragons will be installing a 4G pitch.

It literally seems that Newport are having the carpet pulled from underneath them from all angles.

Its not just football clubs that get in the shite financially. Its all a bit complicated but will try to keep it simple.

Dave is basically owned by Rodney Parade Ltd, which is owned by Tony Brown. Dave is the historic home of Newport RFC since 1870s. It is leased to Newport Gwent Dragons rugby and Newport County AFC (we have a lease until 2023). Newport RFC also play on their ground so thats 60 odd games per season.

The entity that comprises the "rugby club" at Newport is in debt to the tune of approx £6.5m. £4.5m is owed to rugby directors Tony Brown and Martyn Hazell. Tony Brown owns Bisley Office Furniture who built / sponsor the new stand at Dave (where away fans sit along the side of pitch). Hazell gives his name to the stand / terrace on opposite side of ground - he is not universally liked locally as his haulage company trucks crossed the picket lines to deliver coal to local power stations / steelworks during the miners strike - a long time ago I know.

Both men are approaching 80 years of age, want out and can no longer bank roll the NGD. It is claimed that they are prepared to write off these debts should the rugby club members agree to sell Dave to the WRU. 75% of the Newport RFC members need to support this proposal, which is by no means a done deal as most people in Newport distrust the WRU.

£1m is also owed to the WRU and another £1m to to Handelsbanken.

The Newport Gwent Dragons (NGD) are little more than a regional rugby franchise that happen to play at Dave. Therefore a tenant just like Newport County. Unfortunately the NGD have built up these debts which have been secured against the Newport RFC asset that is Dave. Due to the parochial nature of Welsh rugby, people in Newport dont generally support the NGD as they do not consider it their team and likewise the people of Gwent think its a Newport team and arent interested either.

The problem is that both the WRU and Newport RFC own 50% each of the NGD, which is how Dave is being dragged into this WRU deal.

The football club is bottom of the list in terms of importance. In my view the WRU / rugby club are waiting for nature to takes its course and we get relegated. I think we would then accept the installation of a plastic pitch which is the WRU preference, just like the ones at Cardiff RFC and Saracens. Solves the pitch / drainage problems in a stroke. We then have to find another home should our plans include a return to the FL. Or FL rules change in the future.

If by some miracle we stay up this season then the WRU will just wait and wait and wait for our relegation. No major investment in the pitch will be made. More football games get called off, more money is lost by County and less money gets spent on players = relegation. WRU may buy out our lease in which case we would have to relocate - maybe back to Spytty or build a new stadium which would be highly unlikely.

All in all a complete pile of horseshit. Plus add in our self inflicted howlers this season eg Westley, and its no real surprise we are propping up the FL.

 

[mowgli]

One more win and we won't have to worry about this I can see Newport escaping as there's always one team that look doomed only to go on a decent run like Newport are on, think it will go down to the last game of the season and possibly on goal difference.

 

[Rob_of_the_green]

I can't see Cheltenham picking up many more points at all if Newport can maintain some sort of form and get within a few points of them I think with the pressure they may just implode

 

[Urban]

Well they're getting three this weekend so that will have to wait until the weekend after

 

[Youpies]

Thread closed?

 

[Si Robin]

Don't count the chickens just yet. We're not winning another game this season, unless someone comes in as an interim, or an experienced head comes in to help Russell Milton out.

 

[Rob_of_the_green]

If Newport can somehow pick up a couple of wins in the next 3-4 games I really think this could get interesting, there's something about Cheltenham that just gives you the impression they're being held together by a thread and if put under pressure may crumble

 

[The Terminator]

We have 1 senior striker who is currently injured and we are toothless up front and keeping losing 3,4,6 nil every week. If we climb above any one else you should be embarrassed with yourselves! Writing very much on the wall for us

 

[Optipez]

Pretty close to it. Orient look to have surrendered, Newport can only hope to catch Cheltenham realistically. Six point gap with seven to play is doable, and if Gary Johnson understandably remains on sick leave Cheltenham could be vulnerable.
Problem for Newport is they aren't winning anywhere near often enough to put the pressure on.

 

[Chief Rocka]

We're also not counting our chickens just yet, 2 more wins should secure it...

Orient have chucked in the towel and Newport are running out of games.

 

[Glasshalffullpools]

I still can't see Newport getting to 45 , meaning 1 win and 1 draw for Pools ...they may not come next week .... are Orient really that poor ?we go there Easter Monday , that could get us safe

 

[Chief Rocka]

I still can't see Newport getting to 45 , meaning 1 win and 1 draw for Pools ...they may not come next week .... are Orient really that poor ?we go there Easter Monday , that could get us safe

Team shite at home v team shite away, could be 0-0 or 6-6.

Front three are looking decent (still fluffing daft chances like) but defensively as a unit including the midfield, we are utterly abysmal, noticed Kenton was dropped for Donnelly today? Why? The lad has barely put a front wrong since coming into the team, whereas Donnelly has gone backwards.