1980–81 Newport County A.F.C. season

The 1980–81 season was Newport County's first season back in the Third Division since relegation in 1962 and their 53rd season overall in the Football League.

Newport County
1980–81 season
ChairmanRichard Ford
ManagerLen Ashurst
StadiumSomerton Park
Third Division12th
European Cup Winners' CupQuarter-final
FA Cup1st round
League Cup2nd round
Welsh CupSemi-final
Top goalscorerLeague: Gwyther (16)
All: Gwyther (21)
Highest home attendance18,000 vs FC Carl Zeiss Jena (ECWC, 18 Mar 1981)
Lowest home attendance3,748 vs Carlisle United (5 May 1981)
Average home league attendance5,658

The club finished a credible 12th in the Third Division but this season was all about County's first European competition, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.

Season review

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Results summary

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Overall Home Away
Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts W D L GF GA GD W D L GF GA GD
46 15 13 18 64 61  +3 43 11 6 6 38 22  +16 4 7 12 26 39  −13

Source: rsssf.com

Results by round

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Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546
GroundAHHAAHAHAHHAAHHAHAHAAHHAHAHAHAAHAAHHAAHHHAHAHA
ResultDLWWLLLLWDWLLWWWWLLLDDDLLDWLLDWDDLWDDLWDWDWLWL
Position1317107111521242220191920211814141518181616161617171517171917171718151416212018201815161212
Updated to match(es) played on 7 May 1981. Source: statto.com
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Fixtures and results

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Third Division

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Date Opponents Venue Result Scorers Attendance
16 Aug 1980 Burnley A 1–1 J.Aldridge 6,715
19 Aug 1980 Charlton Athletic H 1–2 T.Tynan 8,062
23 Aug 1980 Millwall H 2–1 T.Tynan 2 6,620
30 Aug 1980 Carlisle United A 4–1 J.Aldridge, K.Elsey, D.Gwyther, K.Moore 2,859
6 Sep 1980 Gillingham A 2–3 S.Lowndes, K.Oakes 4,712
13 Sep 1980 Oxford United H 0–1 5,256
20 Sep 1980 Chesterfield A 2–3 D.Gwyther, T.Tynan 5,277
27 Sep 1980 Plymouth Argyle H 0–2 6,878
4 Oct 1980 Brentford A 1–0 S.Lowndes 6,360
7 Oct 1980 Reading H 0–0 5,545
11 Oct 1980 Portsmouth H 2–1 K.Oakes 2 7,003
14 Oct 1980 Sheffield United A 0–2 9,776
18 Oct 1980 Walsall A 0–1 4,335
25 Oct 1980 Huddersfield Town H 3–2 K.Oakes, S.Lowndes, D.Gwyther 6,403
28 Oct 1980 Fulham H 2–1 J.Aldridge, OG 6,029
1 Nov 1980 Blackpool A 4–2 K.Oakes 2, J.Aldridge, D.Gwyther 4,556
8 Nov 1980 Hull City H 4–0 K.Oakes, D.Gwyther, N.Bailey, S.Lowndes 5,495
11 Nov 1980 Charlton Athletic A 0–3 6,911
15 Nov 1980 Burnley H 1–2 T.Tynan 5,370
29 Nov 1980 Rotherham United A 0–1 5,512
3 Dec 1980 Chester A 1–1 S.Lowndes 1,640
6 Dec 1980 Barnsley H 0–0 5,537
13 Dec 1980 Chester H 1–1 D.Gwyther 4,149
20 Dec 1980 Colchester United A 0–1 2,160
26 Dec 1980 Swindon Town H 0–2 7,086
27 Dec 1980 Exeter City A 2–2 T.Tynan, D.Gwyther 6,295
3 Jan 1981 Sheffield United H 4–0 D.Gwyther, S.Lowndes, K.Moore, T.Tynan 6,630
10 Jan 1981 Huddersfield Town A 1–4 S.Lowndes 9,063
16 Jan 1981 Rotherham United H 0–1 4,783
31 Jan 1981 Millwall A 0–0 4,913
7 Feb 1981 Oxford United A 1–0 D.Gwyther 4,440
14 Feb 1981 Gillingham H 1–1 D.Gwyther 5,172
18 Feb 1981 Reading A 1–1 S.Lowndes 3,876
21 Feb 1981 Plymouth Argyle A 2–3 T.Tynan, D.Gwyther 4,315
28 Feb 1981 Chesterfield H 5–1 T.Tynan 2, D.Gwyther, K.Oakes, S.Lowndes 5,340
7 Mar 1981 Brentford H 1–1 T.Tynan 5,224
14 Mar 1981 Portsmouth A 0–0 13,208
28 Mar 1981 Fulham A 1–2 D.Gwyther 4,570
4 Apr 1981 Blackpool H 3–1 J.Aldridge 2, A.Waddle 4,514
7 Apr 1981 Walsall H 1–1 K.Moore 5,446
18 Apr 1981 Exeter City H 2–1 T.Tynan, A.Waddle 5,231
20 Apr 1981 Swindon Town A 1–1 A.Waddle 8,435
25 Apr 1981 Colchester United H 1–0 J.Aldridge 4,619
2 May 1981 Barnsley A 1–4 D.Gwyther 15,659
5 May 1981 Carlisle United H 4–0 D.Gwyther 2, T.Tynan, N.Vaughan 3,748
7 May 1981 Hull City A 1–3 K.Elsey 2,059

European Cup Winners' Cup

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Round Date Opponents Venue Result Scorers Attendance Notes
1–1 16 Sep 1980 Crusaders Somerton Park 4–0 Bruton, Gwyther, Aldridge, Moore 6,285
1–2 1 Oct 1980 Crusaders Seaview 0–0 1,500 4–0 agg
2–1 22 Oct 1980 SK Haugar Sakkestad Stadion 0–0 4,522
2–2 4 Nov 1980 SK Haugar Somerton Park 6–0 Tynan 2, Lowndes, Gwyther, Aldridge, Moore 8,855 6–0 agg
QF-1 4 Mar 1981 FC Carl Zeiss Jena Ernst-Abbe-Sportfeld 2–2 Tynan 2 16,000
QF-2 18 Mar 1981 FC Carl Zeiss Jena Somerton Park 0–1 18,000 2–3 agg

FA Cup

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Round Date Opponents Venue Result Scorers Attendance
1 22 Nov 1980 Plymouth Argyle Home Park 0–2 6,719

Football League Cup

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Round Date Opponents Venue Result Scorers Attendance Notes
1–1 9 Aug 1980 Hereford United Edgar Street 0–1 7,745
1–2 12 Aug 1980 Hereford United Somerton Park 5–0 Vaughan 2, Aldridge 2, Gwyther 5,683 5–1 agg
2–1 26 Aug 1980 Notts County Somerton Park 1–1 Vaughan 6,708
2–2 2 Sep 1980 Notts County Meadow Lane 0–2 4,714 1–3 agg

Welsh Cup

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Round Date Opponents Venue Result Scorers Attendance Notes
3 17 Nov 1980 Worcester City Somerton Park 2–2 Moore, Elsey 2,937
3r 24 Nov 1980 Worcester City St. George's Lane 3–2 Oakes, Lowndes, Aldridge 3,015
4 6 Jan 1981 Ton Pentre Somerton Park 3–0 Gwyther 2, Moore 2,949
5 10 Feb 1981 Bangor City Somerton Park 3–1 Oakes, Vaughan, Tynan 3,018
SF-1 25 Mar 1981 Hereford United Edgar Street 1–2 Moore 5,251
SF-2 31 Mar 1981 Hereford United Somerton Park 1–1 Lowndes 5,994 2–3 agg

League table

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Pos Team Pld W D L F A GD Pts
1 Rotherham United 46 24 13 9 62 32 +30 61
2 Barnsley 46 21 17 8 72 45 +27 59
3 Charlton Athletic 46 25 9 12 63 44 +19 59
4 Huddersfield Town 46 21 14 11 71 40 +31 56
5 Chesterfield 46 23 10 13 72 48 +24 56
6 Portsmouth 46 22 9 15 55 47 +8 53
7 Plymouth Argyle 46 19 14 13 56 44 +12 52
8 Burnley 46 18 14 14 60 48 +12 50
9 Brentford 46 14 19 13 52 49 +3 47
10 Reading 46 18 10 18 62 62 +0 46
11 Exeter City 46 16 13 17 62 66 −4 45
12 Newport County 46 15 13 18 64 61 +3 43
13 Fulham 46 15 13 18 57 64 −7 43
14 Oxford United 46 13 17 16 39 47 −8 43
15 Gillingham 46 12 18 16 48 58 −10 42
16 Millwall 46 14 14 18 43 60 −17 42
17 Swindon Town 46 13 15 18 51 56 −5 41
18 Chester 46 15 11 20 38 48 −10 41
19 Carlisle United 46 14 13 19 56 70 −14 41
20 Walsall 46 13 15 18 59 74 −15 41
21 Sheffield United 46 14 12 20 65 63 +2 40
22 Colchester United 46 14 11 21 45 65 −20 39
23 Blackpool 46 9 14 23 45 75 −30 32
24 Hull City 46 8 16 22 40 71 −31 32
Key
Division Champions
Promoted
Relegated
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