The 2017–18 season was Newport County's fifth consecutive season in Football League Two, 65th season in the Football League and 97th season of league football overall. They finished the season in 11th position in the league, and reached the fourth round of the FA Cup.
Season Review League The season began with three away matches in succession, as the Rodney Parade pitch was being relaid. Following two draws with Stevenage and Crewe Alexandra County found themselves in 16th place in the embryonic league table, the lowest they would ever be. The first visit to Coventry City since August 1961 resulted in a 1–0 win. In the homecoming game against Chesterfield Newport won 4–1 thanks to a 13-minute Frank Nouble hat-trick and County were now in 2nd place. Over the next 11 games, Newport remained in and around the play-off positions, recording five wins and two draws. However, County failed to record a win in the next four games, falling out of the play-off zone and extending the run to six games without a win in total. After this slump, form improved following the away win at Swindon Town, with only one loss in the next nine games. This included a run of three consecutive wins in January, culminating with a 2–1 win over Crawley Town that put County back in the play-offs in 5th place. This was not to last, as Newport then went winless for the next seven league games before recording their second 2–0 win of the season over Yeovil Town. The last ten games of the season saw only three more County victories, resulting in an 11th-place finish, with doubles over Cambridge United and Swindon Town, and victory over promoted Accrington Stanley along the way. During the season Newport managed the double against Grimsby Town, Crawley Town, Yeovil Town, Swindon Town and Cambridge United.
Cup In the EFL Cup, County were drawn at home to League One Southend United in the first round. However, the fixture was switched to Roots Hall as the Rodney Parade pitch was still being relaid. County came away with a 2–0 victory as a result of a second-half brace from Shawn McCoulsky and were rewarded with a home draw against Championship side Leeds United. This too had to be switched to the away ground as Rodney Parade was still not ready. Despite taking the lead at Elland Road, County eventually lost 5–1 and were eliminated.
Newport were placed in Southern Group E for the EFL Trophy, alongside Forest Green Rovers, Swansea City U21s and Cheltenham Town. Losing 2–0, 2–1 and 2–1 respectively, County finished bottom of the group and failed to qualify for the knockout stage.
In the FA Cup, County were drawn at home to League One Walsall in the first round. Despite a late Walsall goal, goals from Frank Nouble and Shawn McCoulsky were enough to see Newport into the hat for the second round. County were again drawn at home, this time to fellow League Two side Cambridge United. Goals from captain Joss Labadie in the 2nd and 82nd minute gave Newport a 2–0 victory and passage to the third round. County were drawn at home to Leeds United for the second time this season, and this time the game was played at Rodney Parade. Gaetano Berardi scored in the 9th minute for Leeds, but in the 76th minute, Conor Shaughnessy put the ball into his own net to level the scores. With the clock ticking down to one minute remaining, Shawn McCoulsky leapt highest from a corner to head the winner, putting County into the fourth round for the first time since the 1978–79 season. In the fourth round, County were again drawn at home, this time to Premier League Tottenham Hotspur. In front of a Rodney Parade record crowd, Newport took the lead in the 38th minute courtesy of a Padraig Amond goal. Into the last 10 minutes, County were looking like recording a famous victory, only for Harry Kane to poke home an equaliser from an 82nd-minute corner. In the resulting replay at Wembley, Dan Butler conceded an own goal in the 26th minute, with Spurs' Erik Lamela adding a second on 34 minutes. That was the final score, with the 7,200 County fans in the crowd of 38,947 left to applaud the County players back to the dressing room.
Transfers Transfers in Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref. 1 July 2017 AM Matt Dolan Yeovil Town Free 1 July 2017 CF Frank Nouble Southend United Free 1 July 2017 RB David Pipe Eastleigh Free 1 July 2017 CF Lamar Reynolds Brentwood Town Free 1 July 2017 AM Robbie Willmott Chelmsford City Free 23 August 2017 CF Pádraig Amond Hartlepool United Undisclosed 17 October 2017 CF Paul Hayes Hemel Hempstead Town Free 5 January 2018 AM Josh Sheehan Swansea City Free 16 April 2018 CB Jay Foulston Youth system 16 April 2018 CF Momodou Touray Youth system
Transfers out Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref. 24 August 2017 FW Rhys Kavanagh Bristol Rovers Compensation 4 September 2017 GK Rhys Davies Leicester City Undisclosed 12 January 2018 CF Aaron Williams Free agent Released 5 February 2018 FW Sean Rigg Free agent Released21 February 2018 DF Jazzi Barnum-Bobb Free agent Released 18 June 2018 CM Tom Owen-Evans Falkirk Undisclosed 30 June 2018 GK James Bittner Free agent Released 30 June 2018 CF Paul Hayes Free agent Released 30 June 2018 CF Marlon Jackson Free agent Released 30 June 2018 LW Calaum Jahraldo-Martin Free agent Released 30 June 2018 CB Jamie Turley Free agent Released 30 June 2018 MF Ben Tozer Free agent Released 30 June 2018 CF Frank Nouble Free agent Released 30 June 2018 MF Joss Labadie Free agent Released
Loans in Date from Position Nationality Name From Date until Ref. 28 July 2017 CF Shawn McCoulsky Bristol City 1 January 2018 1 August 2017 CB Ben White Brighton & Hove Albion 30 June 2018 10 August 2017 CM Reece Cole Brentford 29 September 2017 18 August 2017 CF Joe Quigley AFC Bournemouth 1 January 2018 4 January 2018 CF Aaron Collins Wolverhampton Wanderers End of season 6 January 2018 FB Tyler Reid Swansea City End of season 18 January 2018 CM Emmanuel Osadebe Cambridge United 23 March 2018
Loans out Date from Position Nationality Name To Date until Ref. 2 August 2017 CB Jamie Turley Boreham Wood 30 June 2018 15 August 2017 CF Aaron Williams Brackley Town 2 January 2018 18 August 2017 FW Momodou Touray Merthyr Town 1 November 2017 8 November 2017 RB Jazzi Barnum-Bobb Torquay United 7 January 2018 4 January 2018 CF Lamar Reynolds Leyton Orient End of season 4 January 2018 MF Evan Press Undy Athletic End of season 4 January 2018 MF Tom Savigar Port Talbot Town End of season 28 February 2018 MF Tom Owen-Evans Truro City End of season
Competitions
Pre-season friendlies Newport County announced eight pre-season friendlies.
League Two
League table
Result summary
Results by matchday
Fixtures
EFL Cup
EFL Trophy
FA Cup
Squad statistics Source:
Numbers in parentheses denote appearances as substitute. Players with squad numbers struck through and marked left the club during the playing season. Players with names in italics and marked * were on loan from another club for the whole of their season with Newport County. Players listed with no appearances have been in the matchday squad but only as unused substitutes. Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; DF – Defender; MF – Midfielder; FW – Forward
+No.Pos.Nat.NameAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsLeagueFA CupEFL CupEFL TrophyTotalDiscipline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
+ Players not included in matchday squadsNo.Pos.Nat.Name16DF
References