Now that we have played half the league games of the 2024-25 season, I feel the time is right to update everyone on the main talking points that supporters may be discussing.
As I have said from day one when I was asked to consider taking over majority ownership of Newport County, the main priority was to slowly improve the financial position of the club which at the time was of serious concern.
I’m pleased to say that over the last year after the introduction of additional funding, the football club is now in a much more stable position. However, the challenge to reduce annual losses remains.
Expenditure is still exceeding income, so it is important we keep on building revenue through commercial activities (new businesses welcome via commercial@newport-county.co.uk) and matchday ticket revenue, while also continuing to control costs.
I also believed that building a solid relationship with the Dragons was vital and with that in mind I’m pleased to confirm that we have now agreed and signed a new 10-year lease that was essential to satisfy EFL rules and provide much needed security for the football club.
On the field, I oversaw a lot of changes in the summer, firstly with the appointment of Nelson Jardim as head coach and 17 new players joining the club.
There were many young signings within that group, and the first half of this season was always going to be a tough period of transition with new and old players adjusting to a new style of play and, more importantly, a new way of thinking at Newport County. Now that things are settling down, it means that we should get stronger as the season progresses.
Signing our players on extended contracts will also allow the club flexibility to keep our best players longer and build value within the squad, while looking for consistency and growth each season. A core base of players is vital and will hopefully provide us with a much better chance of success going forward.
There are many challenges for us to face in the months ahead. Daily training facilities are still a big issue. We have invested funds into the upkeep of our training base (building) at Spytty, but training pitches are still a problem, while matchday costs continue to rise to put further strain on monthly cashflow.
My summary of the season so far, on and off the pitch, is very much aligned. We have done reasonably well, but we must continue to improve in all areas on and off the field.
Our mentality and reputation within the football fraternity is slowly changing. Our change in football style means we now have top-flight clubs actually starting to contact us to take their players on loan, and I’m sure that with the right player additions in January we can look forward and develop even more as the season progresses.
As far as I’m concerned there is now a good atmosphere within the club. Yes, we all wanted more wins and more points on the board as we move into 2025. But with continued hard work and some positive thinking, I’m sure the remainder of the season can bring a successful few months for everyone connected to Newport County.
Thank you all for your patience and support.
Huw