1939–40 Newport County A.F.C. season

The 1939–40 season would have been Newport County's first season in the Football League Second Division and their 19th season overall in the Football League. However, due to the outbreak of war in Europe in September 1939, the league season was abandoned after just three games and the results expunged from the records. For this reason, appearances made and goals scored in the Football League matches that were played do not contribute to a player's overall appearances and goals record.

Newport County
1939–40 season
ManagerBilly McCandless
StadiumSomerton Park
Second DivisionJoint 10th (season abandoned)
Welsh CupSemifinal
Top goalscorerLeague: A.J.E. Hydes (3)
All: W. Robbins (22)
Highest home attendance19,700 vs Tottenham Hotspur (31 August 1939)
Lowest home attendance13,810 vs Southampton (26 August 1939)
Average home league attendance16,755 (Football League)

Many of Newport County's players went off to fight in the war, but for those who remained, the Football League organised a special War League. The War League was originally split into ten regional divisions (Newport County were placed in the South-Western Division), in accordance with the Government's 50-mile travel limit. A War League Cup was also set up to replace the FA Cup, which had also been interrupted at the preliminary round phase.

Fixtures and results

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Second Division

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Date Opponents Venue Result Scorers Attendance
Sat 26 Aug 1939 Southampton H 3–1 Hydes (2), Hickman 13,810
Thu 31 Aug 1939 Tottenham Hotspur H 1–1 Hickman 19,700
Sat 2 Sep 1939 Nottingham Forest A 1–2 Hydes 9,521

War League (South-West)

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Date Opponents Venue Result Scorers Attendance
21 Oct 1939 Swindon Town H 0–2 1,824
28 Oct 1939 Bristol Rovers A 3–2 Carr 2, Robbins 1,186
4 Nov 1939 Swansea Town A 2–1 Carr, Robbins 3,000
11 Nov 1939 Torquay United H 1–0 Robbins 802
25 Nov 1939 Cardiff City H 3–1 Robbins 3 2,228
2 Dec 1939 Plymouth Argyle A 0–2 3,500
9 Dec 1939 Swindon Town A 1–2 3,145
16 Dec 1939 Bristol Rovers H 0–1 1,752
23 Dec 1939 Swansea Town H 2–2 Brinton, Hydes 1,000
25 Dec 1939 Bristol City H 1–1 Robbins 2,100
26 Dec 1939 Bristol City A 3–1 Robbins 2, Carr 2,763
30 Dec 1939 Torquay United A 2–6 Wookey, Carr 1,000
13 Jan 1940 Cardiff City A 0–1 4,000
10 Feb 1940 Swansea Town A 2–2 Robbins, Higgins 3,000
24 Feb 1940 Bristol City A 2–6 Morgan (OG), Roberts (OG) 1,799
9 Mar 1940 Plymouth Argyle A 0–3 3,800
16 Mar 1940 Swindon Town A 3–3 Wookey, Robbins, Appleby 3,182
22 Mar 1940 Bristol Rovers A 5–3 Wookey 2, Carr, Robbins, Appleby 3,240
25 Mar 1940 Bristol Rovers H 0–2 4,179
30 Mar 1940 Swansea Town H 1–5 Brinton 1,200
6 Apr 1940 Torquay United A 3–4 Brinton, Robbins, Appleby 1,515
4 May 1940 Bristol City H 4–1 Brinton, Mogford, Robbins, Appleby 2,000
13 May 1940 Cardiff City A 1–4 Robbins 2,000
18 May 1940 Swindon Town H 5–2 Wookey 2, W.M. Owen, W.E. Owen, Appleby 600
25 May 1940 Cardiff City H 4–1 Appleby 2, Wookey, Ballsom (OG) 600
1 Jun 1940 Torquay United H 11–0 Appleby 4, W.E. Owen 4, Wookey, Newall, Lawrence 500
7 Jun 1940 Plymouth Argyle H 6–3 Appleby 2, W.M. Owen, Lawrence, Wookey, Anthony (OG)
8 Jun 1940 Plymouth Argyle H 5–2 Appleby 3, Webb, Newall

War League Cup (South-West)

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Date Opponents Venue Result Scorers Attendance
20 Apr 1940 Birmingham H 2–2 Robbins, Egan 4,500
27 Apr 1940 Birmingham A 2–5 Brinton, Wookey 6,700

Welsh Cup

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Round Date Opponents Venue Result Scorers Attendance
5 14 Dec 1939 Lovells Athletic H 1–1 Higgins
5r 4 Jan 1940 Lovells Athletic A 2–0 Robbins, Higgins
6 3 Feb 1940 Barry Town A 3–2 Hydes 2, Brinton
7 2 Mar 1940 Cardiff City A 1–1 Newall 3,000
7r 18 Mar 1940 Cardiff City H 5–0 Robbins 2, W.M.Owen, Wookey, Appleby 800
SF 13 Apr 1940 Swansea Town A 0–1

League table

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Pos Team Pld W D L F A GA GD Pts
1 Luton Town 3 2 1 0 7 1 7.000 +6 5
2 Birmingham 3 2 1 0 5 1 5.000 +4 5
3 Leicester City 3 2 0 1 5 2 2.500 +3 4
4 Coventry City 3 1 2 0 8 6 1.333 +2 4
5 Plymouth Argyle 3 2 0 1 4 3 1.333 +1 4
6 West Ham United 3 2 0 1 5 4 1.250 +1 4
7 Tottenham Hotspur 3 1 2 0 6 5 1.200 +1 4
8 Nottingham Forest 3 2 0 1 5 5 1.000 ±0 4
9 Manchester City 3 1 1 1 4 3 1.333 +1 3
10 Millwall 3 1 1 1 5 4 1.250 +1 3
10 Newport County 3 1 1 1 5 4 1.250 +1 3
12 West Bromwich Albion 3 1 1 1 8 8 1.000 ±0 3
13 Bury 3 1 1 1 4 5 0.800 –1 3
14 Newcastle United 3 1 0 2 8 6 1.333 +2 2
15 Chesterfield 2 1 0 1 2 2 1.000 ±0 2
16 Barnsley 3 1 0 2 7 8 0.875 –1 2
17 Southampton 3 1 0 2 5 6 0.833 –1 2
18 Sheffield Wednesday 3 1 0 2 3 5 0.600 –2 2
19 Swansea Town 3 1 0 2 5 11 0.455 –6 2
20 Fulham 3 0 1 2 3 6 0.500 –3 1
21 Burnley 2 0 1 1 1 3 0.333 –2 1
22 Bradford Park Avenue 3 0 1 2 2 7 0.286 –5 1

Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against;
GA = Goal average; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points

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Sources

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  • Amber in the Blood: History of Newport County F.C. ISBN 1-874427-40-2