As Newport County prepare to face Walsall on Monday afternoon, we rewind the clock to a season that delivered glory for both clubs — the unforgettable 1979-80 campaign.
A Year of Triumph
The 1979/80 season marked the centenary of competitive football in Britain and proved historic for Newport County and Walsall alike, as both secured promotion from the Fourth Division to the Third.
Huddersfield Town clinched the title, but County and Walsall weren't far behind — finishing 2nd and 3rd respectively.
Newport and Walsall were formidable at home, each losing just twice on their own turf — one of those defeats came at the hands of the other.
Final Day Drama
The promotion race went down to the wire for County, who travelled to Walsall’s Fellows Park needing a win on the final day. Over 8,000 County fans made the journey, desperate to witness the club’s first promotion since 1939.
They weren’t disappointed. County stormed to a thrilling 4–2 victory, with two quickfire goals from John Aldridge in the 20th and 22nd minutes setting the tone. Walsall player-manager Alan Buckley pulled one back from the penalty spot, but Dave Gwyther restored County’s two-goal cushion before half-time.
Don Penn gave Walsall hope midway through the second half, but Tommy Tynan’s header sealed the win and with it, promotion for the Exiles.
At the time, wins earned just two points. Had County drawn or lost, they might’ve missed out — finishing just one point ahead of Bradford City, who were denied promotion on goal difference by Portsmouth.
Walsall had a slightly more relaxed finish, securing promotion with two games to spare. Though technically still in with a shot at the title, results didn’t fall their way.
Cup Competitions: Contrasting Fortunes
FA Cup
- Newport County exited early, losing 1–0 away to Portsmouth in front of nearly 20,000 fans.
- Walsall made it to the second round. After two 1–1 draws with Halifax Town, they were finally eliminated 2–0 in a second replay — penalty shootouts weren’t introduced until 1991.
League Cup
Both sides suffered early exits:
- County beat Plymouth Argyle 1–0 in the first leg, only to lose 2–0 away.
- Walsall lost 2–1 to Chester City in the first leg, and a goalless draw in the second sealed their fate.
Welsh Cup Glory
It was the Welsh Cup that provided the highlight of County’s season. They lifted the trophy for the first time in club history — and qualified for the European Cup Winners' Cup as a result.
Their run included:
- A 2–0 win over Cardiff City (Tynan and Aldridge scoring),
- A 1–0 victory at Wrexham (Lowndes),
- A 3–1 semi-final win over Merthyr Tydfil (Gwyther x2, Aldridge),
- And a two-legged final triumph over holders Shrewsbury Town — 3–2 at home (Tynan x2, OG), and 3–0 away (Tynan, Lowndes, Gwyther).
Line-up for both legs of the final: Gary Plumley, Richard Walden, Keith Oakes (C), Grant Davies, Neil Bailey, Nigel Vaughan, Steve Lowndes, Dave Gwyther, Kevin Moore, John Aldridge, Tommy Tynan.
Standout Performers: Newport County
Managed by Len Ashurst, this County squad is still regarded as one of the club’s finest.
- John Aldridge led the scoring charts with 16 goals in all competitions.
- Tommy Tynan added 13, Dave Gwyther and Nigel Vaughan each netted 11.
- Keith Oakes, from defence, scored 10 — one of five players to hit double figures.
- Supporting goals came from Lowndes (9), Goddard (6), Moore (5), and Dave Bruton (4), with several others chipping in.
- Gary Plumley kept an impressive 21 clean sheets across all competitions.
Walsall’s Promotion Heroes
Led on and off the field by Alan Buckley, who was player-manager in his first season at the helm, Walsall’s squad had plenty of character and firepower.
Key Players:
- Don Penn: The club’s top scorer in 1979-80 with 25 goals, and again in 1981/82. He netted 54 times in 151 appearances for the club.
- Alan Buckley: A Walsall legend with over 170 goals and 400 appearances across two spells. He managed the club for seven seasons across multiple stints.
- Ian Turner: Former FA Cup winner with Southampton, Turner featured in 39 games for Walsall in 1979-80 after a short stint with County the year before.
