The 2013–14 season was Newport County's first season in Football League Two, 61st season in the Football League and 93rd season of league football overall. This season marked County's return to the Football League for the first time since the 1987–88 season. The club finished the season in 14th place.

Season review

League

2013 The season started with the visit of Accrington Stanley. This game was selected as one of the Football League's "anniversary fixtures" to mark the 125th anniversary of the first Football League season. With Harry Worley scoring the historic first League goal, a brace from Chris Zebroski and a goal from Christian Jolley 10 minutes into the second half, County won 4–1 and were top of the League Two table. In the next game away to Northampton, Conor Washington scored his first League goal but the club suffered a 3–1 loss. The next home game, the Severnside derby with Bristol Rovers saw County's highest gate of the season; Andy Sandell's first-half penalty being enough to take all three points. The next three games were all drawn 1–1 with County slipping out of the play-off places as a result. The next home game, against Morecambe, will forever be remembered as the "Tom Naylor game": Scoring within three minutes, Billy Jones had made the perfect start to his début game before Naylor scored an own goal to level the match. Robbie Willmott restored Newport's lead before Naylor's second own goal again levelled things. With 20 minutes remaining Naylor conceded a penalty which allowed Morecambe to take the lead and eventually win the game. County's first away win of the season in the next game at Exeter, followed by a home win to Torquay United took County back to the brink of the play-off positions, but following the next two games they were back down to 12th. County then embarked on a successful spell, losing only once at Fleetwood until visiting Burton Albion in the last game of 2013. That last game was lost 1–0, but County finished the year in a play-off position.

2014 The new year began in a disastrous fashion: The wettest winter on record in Britain combined with drainage problems with the Rodney Parade pitch caused a rash of game postponements. County failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Northampton and were denied even one point when Andy Sandell's 88th-minute penalty was saved. Previous wins against Accrington, Bristol, Southend and Hartlepool were cancelled out with only two draws to show from the four matches. A solitary home win against Oxford United lifted County back to the brink of the play-offs again, but then another terrible run resulted in only three points from the next eight games. With County now lying in 14th position, any hope of the play-offs was gone. County's first double of the season against Torquay in next game briefly lifted them to 12th, but following the second 0–0 draw with Bury of the season, previous wins against Portsmouth and Chesterfield were cancelled out. Following a home loss against Plymouth Argyle County recorded only their third win of 2014 against relegation-threatened Wycombe Wanderers. In the next two games County squandered leads to draw both games, slipping down to their lowest league position of the season in the process. The penultimate game of the season was the trip to promotion-chasing York. County failed to improve on their recent form as the home side guaranteed themselves a play-off place with a 1–0 win. The final game of the season against Rochdale was an eerie reminder of County's last Football League season in 1987–88. That time the visitors has triumphed 1–0 and they would be hoping for another win to seal the League Two title. Despite taking the lead in the 28th minute, Aaron O'Connor cancelled out the advantage just before half time. Rochdale should have won the game after winning a penalty in the 83rd minute, but Matthew Lund's penalty was saved by Ian McLoughlin. Ten-man County made them pay four minutes later as Robbie Willmott's free kick was headed over Josh Lillis by Kevin Feely to seal a 2–1 victory and a happy end to County's 2013–14 campaign.

Results summary

Results by round

Squad statistics (Substitute appearances in brackets) No.Pos.NameLeagueFA CupLeague CupOtherTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals21DF Byron Anthony7 (0)00 (0)01 (0)00 (0)08 (0)024FW George Barker0 (2)00 (0)00 (0)00 (0)00 (2)0 GK James Bittner0 (0)00 (0)00 (0)00 (0)00 (0)016DF Darcy Blake8 (0)00 (0)00 (0)00 (0)08 (0)015MF Ryan Burge12 (5)20 (0)00 (0)00 (0)015 (5)27DF Adam Chapman35 (4)23 (0)02 (0)01 (1)141 (5)39FW Danny Crow13 (14)33 (0)01 (1)22 (1)019 (16)520DF Kevin Feely10 (0)10 (0)00 (0)00 (0)010 (0)117MF Michael Flynn18 (14)31 (2)00 (1)02 (1)021 (18)324DF Aaron Amadi-Holloway0 (4)00 (0)00 (0)00 (0)00 (4)045FW Rene Howe12 (3)30 (0)00 (0)00 (0)012 (3)33DF Andrew Hughes23 (3)21 (0)01 (1)02 (0)027 (4)218DF Ryan Jackson26 (3)02 (1)02 (0)01 (1)031 (5)05DF Tony James5 (1)00 (0)00 (1)01 (0)06 (2)014FW Shaun Jeffers4 (10)00 (0)00 (0)00 (0)04 (10)023FW Christian Jolley20 (12)22 (1)01 (0)02 (0)025 (13)216DF Billy Jones6 (1)11 (0)00 (0)00 (0)07 (1)133GK Ian McLoughlin12 (0)00 (0)00 (0)00 (0)012 (0)08MF Lee Minshull34 (6)41 (1)02 (0)01 (1)038 (8)419DF Tom Naylor24 (9)13 (0)11 (0)03 (0)031 (9)210FW Aaron O'Connor1 (3)10 (0)00 (0)00 (0)01 (3)120DF Adedeji Oshilaja8 (0)02 (0)00 (0)02 (0)112 (0)129GK Elliot Parish7 (0)00 (0)00 (0)00 (0)07 (0)027FW Joe Parker0 (0)00 (0)00 (0)00 (0)00 (0)01GK Lenny Pidgeley25 (0)03 (0)01 (0)00 (1)029 (1)02DF David Pipe22 (3)01 (0)00 (0)02 (1)025 (4)04MF Max Porter15 (7)10 (0)00 (0)00 (0)015 (7)126DF Ellis Redman0 (0)00 (0)00 (0)00 (0)00 (0)013DF Andy Sandell21 (2)30 (1)02 (0)01 (0)024 (3)325GK Jamie Stephens2 (0)00 (0)01 (0)03 (0)06 (0)0 GK Conor Thompson0 (0)00 (0)00 (0)00 (0)00 (0)014FW Conor Washington16 (8)42 (1)01 (1)12 (1)221 (11)712FW Robbie Willmott40 (6)32 (0)32 (0)03 (0)047 (6)622DF Harry Worley26 (0)43 (0)02 (0)02 (0)033 (0)46DF Ismail Yakubu22 (3)32 (0)01 (0)02 (0)027 (3)311FW Chris Zebroski32 (3)121 (0)01 (1)01 (0)135 (4)13

Transfers

In Date Pos. Name From Fee5 June 2013MF Adam ChapmanOxford UnitedUndisclosed5 June 2013FW Chris ZebroskiEastleighFree20 June 2013DF Harry WorleyOxford UnitedFree9 July 2013GK Jamie StephensLiverpoolFree2 August 2013DF Ryan JacksonMacclesfield TownCompensation27 July 2013GK James BittnerUnattachedFree30 August 2013MF Ryan BurgeUnattachedFree12 September 2013DF Billy JonesUnattachedFree20 November 2013FW Joe ParkerGloucester CityFree9 January 2014FW Rene HoweUnattachedFree28 January 2014FW Shaun JeffersPeterborough UnitedUndisclosed6 February 2014GK Conor ThompsonUnattachedFree13 February 2014FW Aaron Amadi-HollowayUnattachedFree21 March 2014DF Darcy BlakeUnattachedFree

Out Date Pos. Name To Fee9 July 2013FW Rhys GriffithsReleased30 August 2013GK James BittnerReleased10 January 2014DF Billy JonesReleased28 January 2014FW Conor WashingtonPeterborough UnitedUndisclosed6 March 2014GK Conor ThompsonReleased24 April 2014DF David PipeReleased5 May 2014DF Tony JamesRetired5 May 2014FW Aaron Amadi-HollowayReleased5 May 2014DF Harry WorleyReleased5 May 2014MF Ryan BurgeReleased5 May 2014DF Darcy BlakeReleased

Loans in Date Pos. Name From Expiry12 August 2013DF Tom NaylorDerby CountyEnd of season31 October 2013DF Deji OshilajaCardiff CityJanuary 201422 November 2013FW George BarkerBrighton & Hove AlbionJanuary 201410 February 2014GK Elliot ParishBristol CityMarch 201411 March 2014GK Ian McLoughlinMilton Keynes DonsEnd of season21 March 2014DF Kevin FeelyCharlton AthleticEnd of season

Loans out Date Pos. Name To Expiry20 November 2013FW Joe ParkerGloucester CityJune 2014

Fixtures and results

Pre-season friendlies

DateOpponentsVenueResultScorersAttendanceNotesWed 10 Jul 2013Swindon SupermarineWebb's Wood Stadium2–1Washington Jolley c. 250Sat 13 Jul 2013Carl Zeiss JenaWimaria-Stadion, Weimar2–2Anthony O'Connor c. 2,800110th anniversary matchTue 16 Jul 2013Taunton TownWordsworth Drive6–0O'Connor Jolley Sandell Crow 279Sat 20 Jul 2013Havant & WaterloovilleWest Leigh Park3–0Minshull Sandell Pipe 312Tue 23 Jul 2013Reading XINewport Stadium3–3Zebroski Minshull 765Tony Gilbert testimonialThu 25 Jul 2013Pegasus JuniorsOld School Lane2–0Washington Newport County XISun 28 Jul 2013Aston Villa XIRodney Parade5–2Jolley Hughes Minshull 2,984

League Two

Football League Cup

Football League Trophy

FA Cup

League table

External links Newport County AFC 2013-2014 : Results Newport County's results from season 2013/2014

References