Ahead of our trip to Notts County on Saturday afternoon, we take a look back at our first and last win at Meadow Lane in years gone by.
Newport County were first welcomed to Meadow Lane in February 1931, but it wasn’t until April 1986 - 55 years later - that they secured their first win in Nottingham. The 1985–86 campaign marked Newport's sixth consecutive year in the Third Division and their 58th overall season in the Football League.
In good form heading into the match, having won three of their last five outings, County delivered a standout performance to secure just their third away win of the season.
Goals from Gordon Staniforth and Steve Mardenborough helped secure a 2-1 victory, which would mark the beginning of a solid finish to the campaign.
Newport went unbeaten in their final four league matches, earning two wins and two draws against Derby County, Darlington, Gillingham, and Blackpool.
Despite finishing the season in 19th place, five points clear of relegation, Newport’s FA Cup and Welsh Cup run was a season highlight. After victories over Southend United and Torquay United in earlier rounds of the FA Cup, they were knocked out by Sunderland in the Third Round of the competition, losing 2-0 in front of 12,352 fans.
In the Welsh Cup, County reached the fourth round, before eventually being edged out by Kidderminster Harries in a replay.
Staniforth and Mardenborough were key players that season. Staniforth netted nine league goals, finishing as the club's top scorer in the league, while Mardenborough found the net 11 times in all competitions, making him the club's overall leading scorer.
Mardenborough, who joined Newport from Swansea City in 1984, was a fan favourite during his two seasons at the club, making a lasting impression. After his time in Newport, he moved on to Cardiff City, where his form dipped, and he scored just once in a 3–1 win over Torquay United.
After just one win in their last three meetings at Meadow Lane since 2019, Newport County’s most recent victory in Nottinghamshire came in February of that year.
That season, following a tough run of form over the Christmas and New Year period, County arrived in Nottingham without a win on the road since September, when they had triumphed 1-0 away at Tranmere Rovers.
Despite this, Newport delivered a stunning team performance, securing a 4-1 victory over eventual play-off rivals Notts County, who were managed by former West Ham United captain Kevin Nolan.
The Exiles had been left disappointed after a 4-1 FA Cup defeat to Manchester City, in which they had held the Premier League leaders for 45 minutes. But they had no such trouble against struggling Notts County. Fraser Franks and a Jamille Matt double gave Newport a comfortable 3-1 lead at half-time, despite Kane Hemmings' early equaliser for County. Just after the break, Padraig Amond added a fourth to seal the win.
Though Newport remained in 15th place after the victory, they were now level on points with four teams above them on goal difference. Despite suffering back-to-back defeats following their triumph over Notts County, Michael Flynn’s side went on to finish the season strongly, putting together an unbeaten 10-game run in League Two.
This impressive form concluded with a 1-1 draw at Morecambe, which confirmed a 7th-place finish and a place in the play-offs.
A memorable play-off campaign followed, with the Exiles overcoming Mansfield in a thrilling penalty shoot-out away win. Newport reached Wembley for the first time in their history, with an unbeaten run of 12 games – their best since 1938.
Despite a valiant performance at Wembley, Connor Jennings' late penalty broke County's hearts, denying them a chance for promotion. Nonetheless, Newport's play-off heartbreak was softened by their best-ever FA Cup run.
After wins against Metropolitan Police and Wrexham, the Exiles produced memorable victories over Leicester City and Middlesbrough. They then faced the mighty Manchester City at Rodney Parade, holding Pep Guardiola's men to a 0-0 draw at half-time.
However, two goals from Phil Foden, plus strikes from Leroy Sané and Riyad Mahrez, ended Newport’s FA Cup run, denying them a historic chance to become the first fourth-tier team to reach the last eight since 1990.
