The 2014–15 season was Newport County's second consecutive season in Football League Two, 62nd season in the Football League and 94th season of league football overall. They finished the season in 9th place, narrowly missing out on the play-offs.
Season Review League The season started with three straight league defeats, including a 3–2 defeat at Morecambe where County were leading 2–0 at half time. However, with Newport lying just outside the relegation places they entered a run of form that saw them lose just two more games in the first half of the season. Highlights included home wins over Northampton Town, AFC Wimbledon, York City, Southend United, Stevenage and Plymouth Argyle; and away wins at Portsmouth, Dagenham & Redbridge, Bury, Carlisle United and Cheltenham Town. At the halfway point in the season County were in the play-off positions in 5th place, just three points from an automatic promotion spot.
In the new year, the good results kept coming: Home wins over Carlisle and Portsmouth put County in third place. However, there was speculation that County's success had led to interest in manager Justin Edinburgh from other clubs. There had been approaches in the previous season: On 2 December 2013, County rejected an approach from Edinburgh's former club Portsmouth to be interviewed as a successor to Guy Whittingham as Portsmouth manager. In January 2014 Edinburgh stated he had rebuffed an unofficial approach directly to himself to be considered as manager of Northampton Town Following the win over Portsmouth, County had now lost three games in a row, as the speculation about Edinburgh's future grew. On 3 February Gillingham made an official approach, and on 7 February he was announced as the new Gills' boss. His departure was confirmed just two hours before kick-off at AFC Wimbledon and, under caretaker manager Jimmy Dack, County slipped to a fourth successive defeat. County halted a run of four straight defeats with a 1–1 draw against Tranmere Rovers in Dack's first home game in charge. Despite the poor run of form Newport were still within the play-off positions, in 6th place. However, with only five more wins in the remaining 16 games, County slipped out of the play-off places, eventually finishing 9th.
Results summary
Results by round
League table
Squad statistics Squad information Caps and goals as at 10 May 2015 as per Soccerbase. No. Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth (age) Club capsall competitions Club goalsall competitions Previous club Date signed Fee Contract end Goalkeepers1Lenny PidgeleyGKTwickenham740Exeter City1 August 2012Free201522Simon ThomasGKVictoria, British Columbia00Vancouver Whitecaps8 August 2014Free201425Jamie StephensGKWotton-under-Edge130Liverpool10 July 2013Free201530Joe DayGKBrighton380Peterborough United29 December 2014Undisclosed2017 Defenders2Ryan JacksonRBStreatham730Macclesfield Town24 July 2013Compensation20153Kevin FeelyCBKildare341Charlton Athletic30 May 2014Free20165Darren JonesCBNewport454AFC Wimbledon20 May 2014Free20166Ismail YakubuCB Kano13116AFC Wimbledon1 July 2011Free201513Andy SandellLBCalne12114Chippenham Town1 January 2012Free201515Scott TancockCBSwansea 40Swansea City26 September 2014Loan201416Andrew HughesLBCardiff1234Youth system1 July 2009Trainee201521Curtis ObengRBStretford 60Swansea City24 October 2014Loan201426Regan PooleCBCardiff 120Youth system15 September 2014Trainee201527David TutondaCB 122Cardiff City13 February 2015Loan201531Kieran ParselleDF Portishead 00Youth system21 March 2015Trainee2015Byron AnthonyCBNewport323Hereford United16 Nov 2012Free2014 Midfielders4Max PorterCMHornchurch884AFC Wimbledon1 July 2012Free20157Adam ChapmanCM Doncaster896Oxford United1 July 2013Undisclosed20158Lee MinshullCMChatham13514AFC Wimbledon1 July 2012Free201512Robbie WillmottMFHarlow9213Cambridge United10 January 2013Free201517Michael FlynnCMNewport945Bradford City26 July 2012Free201518Yan KlukowskiCMChippenham416Forest Green Rovers20 May 2014Free201619Kyle PattenMF 10Youth system 23 August 2014 Trainee201522Tom Owen-EvansMF 10Youth system15 September 2014Trainee201533Mark ByrneCMDublin444Barnet14 July 2014Free2015 Forwards9Rene HoweCFBedford303Burton Albion9 January 2014Free201510Aaron O'ConnorFWNottingham8731Luton Town24 July 2012Free201511Chris ZebroskiFWSwindon7720Eastleigh1 July 2013Free201514Shaun JeffersFWBedford353Peterborough United28 January 2014Free201520James LoveridgeFWLlanelli 80Swansea City3 October 2014Loan201420Miles StoreyFWWest Bromwich 182Swindon Town30 January 2015Loan201523Christian JolleyFWFleet7217AFC Wimbledon11 January 2013Undisclosed201524Joe ParkerFW 40Gloucester City19 November 2013Free201528Danny CrowCFGreat Yarmouth658Luton Town1 July 2012Free201539Aaron CollinsFWNewport 30Youth system15 September 2014Trainee201545Joe PigottFWMaidstone 113Charlton Athletic11 September 2014Loan2014
Transfers In Date Pos. Name From Fee Ref.20 May 2014DF Darren Jones AFC WimbledonFree20 May 2014MF Yan Klukowski Forest Green RoversFree30 May 2014DF Kevin Feely Charlton AthleticFree14 July 2014MF Mark Byrne BarnetFree8 August 2014GK Simon Thomas Vancouver WhitecapsFree29 December 2014GK Joe Day Peterborough UnitedUndisclosed record
Out Date Pos. Name To Fee Ref.1 September 2014GK Simon ThomasReleased15 January 2015FW Danny CrowReleased21 January 2015FW Christian JolleyReleased Newport county released players25 March 2015FW Rene HoweReleased 17 April 2015FW Chris ZebroskiReleased 12 May 2015MF Mike FlynnReleased 12 May 2015FW Shaun JeffersReleased 12 May 2015FW Aaron O'ConnorReleased 12 May 2015MF Lee MinshullReleased 12 May 2015MF Kyle PattenReleased 12 May 2015GK Lenny PidgeleyReleased 12 May 2015GK Jamie StephensReleased 12 May 2015MF Max PorterReleased 12 May 2015FW Joe ParkerReleased 12 May 2015DF Andy SandellReleased 12 May 2015FW Robbie WillmottReleased 12 May 2015DF Ismail YakubuReleased 15 May 2015MF Adam ChapmanMansfield Townfree Chapman joins Mansfield15 May 2015DF Darren JonesForest Greenfree Jones joins Forest Green players26 May 2015DF Ryan JacksonGillinghamfree Gills sign Jackson
Loans in Date Pos. Name From Expiry28 August 2014GK Joe Day Peterborough United28 November 201411 September 2014FW Joe Pigott Charlton Athletic22 November 201426 September 2014DF Scott Tancock Swansea City21 November 20142 October 2014FW James Loveridge Swansea City31 November 201423 October 2014DF Curtis Obeng Swansea City18 December 201430 January 2015FW Miles Storey Swindon TownEnd of season13 February 2015DF David Tutonda Cardiff CityEnd of season
Loans out Date Pos. Name To Expiry12 September 2014MF Kyle Patten Bath City12 October 201418 September 2014FW Joe Parker Gloucester City18 November 201419 September 2014FW Shaun Jeffers Brackley Town19 November 201425 September 2014FW Christian Jolley Forest Green Rovers25 November 201417 October 2014GK Jamie Stephens Gloucester City17 November 201410 December 2014FW Joe Parker Gloucester City10 January 20158 January 2015MF Kyle Patten Merthyr Town12 April 20158 January 2015FW Aaron Collins Merthyr Town8 March 20152 February 2015GK Lenny Pidgeley Mansfield TownEnd of Season
Managerial statistics Only competitive games from the 2014–15 season are included.
NameNat.FromToRecordHonoursPLDWDLGFGAGDW%Justin Edinburgh—7 February 2015Jimmy Dack7 February 2015—
Match details Pre-season friendlies
DateOpponentsVenueResultScorersAttendanceReportsTuesday 8 July 2014Evesham UnitedSpiers and Hartwell Jubilee Stadium4–2Byrne , Howe , Klukowski , Zebroski ReportSaturday 12 July 2014Cirencester TownCorinium Stadium5–0O'Connor , Howe , Parker , Flynn ReportTuesday 15 July 2014Weston-super-MareWoodspring Stadium2–0O'Connor , Jolley ReportSaturday 19 July 2014Gloucester CityCauseway Ground2–0Howe ReportTuesday 22 July 2014Basingstoke TownThe Camrose1–1O'Connor ReportSaturday 26 July 2014 Carl Zeiss JenaNewport Stadium1–0Jones 2,630ReportTuesday 29 July 2014Coventry CityNewport Stadium1–0Yakubu 828ReportSaturday 2 August 2014West Ham United U-21Little Heath Sports Ground3–0 Klukowski , Zebroski , Howe Report
League Two
Football League Cup
Football League Trophy
FA Cup
External links Newport County AFC 2014-2015 : Results Newport County's results from season 2014/2015
References