1987–88 Newport County A.F.C. season


The 1987–88 season was the 60th season played by Newport County in the Football League and the first season played back in the Fourth Division since relegation from the Third Division at the end of the 1986–87 season. The club suffered a second successive relegation and were only the second team to be automatically relegated to the Football Conference.
Newport's first Division Four campaign in seven years rapidly turned into an absolute nightmare, against the backdrop of an increasingly desperate financial situation. John Lewis was sacked with the season barely a month old after a return of just one point from County's first five games, and Brian Eastick was called in to take over. Eastick won his first match in charge, but took a month to get another win. Victories over Welsh rivals Swansea City and Wrexham proved to be the sole highlight of this campaign, but were followed by a three-month run without victory, the third successive season Newport suffered such an indignity. January 1988 saw a minor improvement in form, but the already poor campaign totally fell apart afterwards, and Newport earned no wins and just three points in the next four months. Eastick was sacked during this dreadful run, and coach David Williams took charge for the remainder of the season in a fruitless attempt to avoid relegation.

Season review

Results summary

Results by round

Fixtures and results

Fourth Division

DateOpponentsVenueResultScorersAttendance
15 Aug 1987Hartlepool UnitedA0–01,926
22 Aug 1987BurnleyH0–12,006
29 Aug 1987Exeter CityA0–32,628
31 Aug 1987Stockport CountyH1–2Giles1,626
5 Sep 1987Halifax TownA1–3Collins1,095
12 Sep 1987Torquay UnitedH3–1Sherlock, Evans, Withers1,368
16 Sep 1987ScarboroughA1–3Evans2,345
19 Sep 1987Scunthorpe UnitedA1–3Tupling2,004
27 Sep 1987Hereford UnitedH0–01,480
29 Sep 1987Leyton OrientA1–4Hodson3,761
3 Oct 1987Colchester UnitedH1–2Thomson1,200
10 Oct 1987Cambridge UnitedA0–41,874
17 Oct 1987Swansea CityA2–1Taylor 23,739
21 Oct 1987Peterborough UnitedA0–33,163
24 Oct 1987WrexhamH2–0Thackerey, Preece1,470
31 Oct 1987Wolverhampton WanderersA1–2Miller6,467
3 Nov 1987Bolton WanderersH0–11,566
7 Nov 1987Carlisle UnitedA1–3Preece1,766
21 Nov 1987Cardiff CityH1–2Miller4,022
27 Nov 1987Tranmere RoversA0–43,252
19 Dec 1987RochdaleA0–31,494
26 Dec 1987Hereford UnitedA2–4Williams, Downes3,203
28 Dec 1987Crewe AlexandraH1–2Downes1,918
1 Jan 1988Exeter CityH1–1Gibbins1,691
9 Jan 1988BurnleyA0–25,305
12 Jan 1988DarlingtonH2–1Clement, Brook1,402
16 Jan 1988Scunthorpe UnitedH1–1Sherlock1,760
29 Jan 1988Stockport CountyA1–5Jones2,509
5 Feb 1988Halifax TownH1–0Mann1,509
13 Feb 1988Crewe AlexandraA1–2Bodin2,080
19 Feb 1988Hartlepool UnitedH2–3Williams 21,880
26 Feb 1988Colchester UnitedA0–01,784
1 Mar 1988Leyton OrientH0–01,656
5 Mar 1988Swansea CityH1–2Brook2,235
12 Mar 1988Cambridge UnitedH0–01,208
26 Mar 1988WrexhamA1–4Millett1,627
2 Apr 1988Carlisle UnitedH1–2Taylor1,376
4 Apr 1988Cardiff CityA0–46,536
9 Apr 1988Peterborough UnitedH0–4988
12 Apr 1988ScarboroughH0–41,025
19 Apr 1988Torquay UnitedA1–6Hamer3,416
23 Apr 1988Bolton WanderersA0–64,357
26 Apr 1988Wolverhampton WanderersH1–3Tupling3,409
30 Apr 1988Tranmere RoversH0–31,110
2 May 1988DarlingtonA2–0Thompson, Taylor1,675
7 May 1988RochdaleH0–12,560

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScorersAttendance
114 Nov 1987Northampton TownA1–2Holtham4,581

Football League Cup

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScorersAttendanceAggregate
1–118 Aug 1987Cardiff CityA2–1Evans 23,383
1–225 Aug 1987Cardiff CityA2–2Taylor, Tupling3,5504–3
2–122 Sep 1987Crystal PalaceA0–46,085
2–26 Oct 1987Crystal PalaceH0–21,3030–6

Football League Trophy

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScorersAttendance
Grp S613 Oct 1987Port ValeH2–0P.Giles, Gibbins569
Grp S624 Nov 1987Exeter CityA1–0Thackeray1,006
S119 Jan 1988Hereford UnitedH2–3Tupling, Mann1,232

Welsh Cup

League table

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