Almost there! Huge boost for Parade groundshare hopes

6:00am Thursday 31st May 2012 in Newport County Photograph of the Author By Andrew Penman

IN THE HOTSEAT: County chairman Chris Blight IN THE HOTSEAT: County chairman Chris Blight

NEWPORT County’s bid to move to Rodney Parade took a huge step forward last night with the news that contracts are being drawn up for the Football Conference.

That would suggest agreement has been reached between the Exiles, Newport RFC and Newport Gwent Dragons, leaving the Conference as the only remaining stumbling block.

The deadline for the plan to be presented to the Conference is 5pm this afternoon.

County chairman Chris Blight said: “We’ve put a tremendous amount of work into this and it’s now with the legal guys.

“Solicitors are drawing up the contracts and they must be with Dennis Strudwick at the Conference today.

“Speaking to Will Godfrey of Newport RFC and Martyn Hazell of the Dragons we all know that this is something that should happen for the city of Newport.

“It’s the first opportunity to test the relationship between the city’s football and rugby clubs.

“There will be obstacles to overcome but we’ve got to be brave.”

County manager Justin Edinburgh is fully behind the groundshare proposals.

He has been working hard to rebuild his squad since the FA Trophy final defeat at Wembley and believes a move to Rodney Parade would be a great help in attracting players to the club.

“Rodney Parade would be the best signing we could make this summer,” said Edinburgh.

“If the club is going to evolve and grow and get back into the Football League then it is essential we move.

“It will help me massively in bringing players to this club. It needs to happen.”

Edinburgh currently has just seven players signed up for next season, two of whom are not in his plans, and he lost star man Sam Foley to Yeovil Town this week, but he is unconcerned.

“There are 20 or 30 names I’m looking at and I am well down the line with one or two but I will never announce anything until the deal is done,” he explained.

“I’ll make sure I bring the right people to this club – I think I’ve shown that already since I’ve been here and I don’t want to rush into anything.

“Every fan wants signings quickly and I’m the same but I’m still picking up the pieces from what happened here last summer. Hopefully things can be done shortly.”

Comments(18)

Adrian Williams says...
9:02am Thu 31 May 12

(fingers crossed)

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the real gaffer says...
9:42am Thu 31 May 12

A bout time time,now the County are thinking big up with the big boys

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davidjohnedwards says...
12:16pm Thu 31 May 12

I think this is an awful idea. The idea of a football team (and not a good one at that) can have primacy over the NRFC ground is preposterous. Also, I don't know why the Drag-ons are even mentioned in this article as they should have no say on the matter as they have no rights to the ground. However, you can guarantee that the one team that will be shafted by this deal will be the very team that OWNS the ground (NRFC). This could only happen in Wales.

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netala says...
12:38pm Thu 31 May 12

i share your concerns, but we must give it a try. the financial benefits should help all interested parties, we would all like a ground of our own, but the cost and upkeep would be too much for any one team. lets wait an see how it works out. it may be the making of all teams.

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adrian simmonds says...
1:49pm Thu 31 May 12

davidjohnedwards, have you been asleep for the last month and more? Everbody, but everybody knew that the F.A. rule is PRIMACY for the football club, so if Dragons and RFC couldn't accept that, there was no point in any discussion.I think netal has hit the nail on the head or, as i would put it,
a marriage made in Heaven, albeit that marriages are normall only between 2 people. But perhaps a menage a trois will give us all what we want.

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Cymro57 says...
3:12pm Thu 31 May 12

What exactly are County bringing to the table in terms of rent? Apparently the Blues were paying £500k p.a. for the privilege of using Cardiff City's stadium. Obviously County's contribution will be well short of that. But are we talking £100k p.a? What do they pay p.a at Spytty?

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NakedDancer says...
3:20pm Thu 31 May 12

Fabulous. Good for all 3 clubs and the city. A big step forward in the modern world of commercial sport. Get it done.

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Olly123 says...
3:38pm Thu 31 May 12

Davidjohnedwards. I guess from the tone of your post that you are not a football fan which I accept is totally your prerogative. However is there any need for personally attacking Newport County? Your statement "And not a good one at that" is both nasty and totally irrelevant to the discussion. Are you saying that if Newport RFC were to share with the likes of Chelsea or Man Utd it would be more acceptable? Newportonians should get behind the sporting teams of Newport regardless of the shape of ball used even if it is only moral support. there sort of narrow minded intersport rivalry prejudiceshaves no place in the commercial world of 21st century sport and should have been confined to the dustbin years ago.

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davidjohnedwards says...
3:40pm Thu 31 May 12

I'm afraid your wrong. There is no way that these three teams can share a stadium without huge clashes. The fact that the least important team which has least right to expect primacy should be given this is also crazy beyond belief. The County should start looking for their own ground instead of becoming a second leech on the back of Newport RFC. Ironically, NRFC will be the ones who will always be compromised in the event with a clash of matches, be it Leech no. 1 (The Drag--on-and-ons) or Leech No.2 (The County). You can guarantee that NRFC games being played at a decent time on a Saturday are going to be a thing of the past just for the sake of wendyball.

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davidjohnedwards says...
5:20pm Thu 31 May 12

Olly123 wrote:
Davidjohnedwards. I guess from the tone of your post that you are not a football fan which I accept is totally your prerogative. However is there any need for personally attacking Newport County? Your statement "And not a good one at that" is both nasty and totally irrelevant to the discussion. Are you saying that if Newport RFC were to share with the likes of Chelsea or Man Utd it would be more acceptable? Newportonians should get behind the sporting teams of Newport regardless of the shape of ball used even if it is only moral support. there sort of narrow minded intersport rivalry prejudiceshaves no place in the commercial world of 21st century sport and should have been confined to the dustbin years ago.
Very sorry but how would anyone be able to personally attack a football team. If I'd attacked a particular person related to the team then your accusation would have had merit. To accuse someone of being narrow minded because they don't agree with you is typical liberal fascism at it's best. My concern is for NRFC and only NRFC. This has been their home for over 100 years and to be sidelined by a plastic rugby team and also a football team at their own ground would be lunacy. I don't care which football team you'd be talking about. NRFC should always have first call on their own ground.

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Olly123 says...
6:08pm Thu 31 May 12

Isn't saying something derogatory about a football team a form of attack? I'm not sure where it says an attack can only be aimed at a person and not a team or organisation.. I used the word personally in reference to you being the person doing the attacking. After all you are a person in the singular and you made the comment. Hence it was a personal attack. I notice in one of your more recent posts you again resort to name calling when it comes to your obvious dislike of football. I don't much care for rugby but I wouldn't insult the rugby loving people of newport by calling their game names. I accept there are many cons to the county move to Rodney Parade and accept that county are in many ways hijacking the ground but their is no need to resort to name calling and insults to put your point across.

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D Taylor says...
6:41pm Thu 31 May 12

davidjohnedwards wrote:
I'm afraid your wrong. There is no way that these three teams can share a stadium without huge clashes. The fact that the least important team which has least right to expect primacy should be given this is also crazy beyond belief. The County should start looking for their own ground instead of becoming a second leech on the back of Newport RFC. Ironically, NRFC will be the ones who will always be compromised in the event with a clash of matches, be it Leech no. 1 (The Drag--on-and-ons) or Leech No.2 (The County). You can guarantee that NRFC games being played at a decent time on a Saturday are going to be a thing of the past just for the sake of wendyball.
As a County fan I am surprised that this deal appears to have gone through. Not least because of the primacy argument which you raise. But the fact that it has must show that Newport Rugby (NGD and Newport RFC combined) very much wanted the deal as well as County and you should trust your club's administrators. I've been told that Tony Brown wants every avenue explored to increase income.

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Robert Shillabeer says...
6:54pm Thu 31 May 12

Firstly let's get one fact correct, the Football League require the County to have premacy of tenure but it is not unique London Welsh have the same situation with the stadium they play at in Oxford and this is put forward as a Rugby argument. Provided the fixtures of County and Newport RFC can be sorted the arrangement can work for both sports. The Dragons usually play on a Friday night so can be easily arranged around any possible clashes. The additional income from County using Rodney Parade will go to Rodney Parade Limited and not to any particular side or team. Additionally the Rugby Club house will get additional income as the ground would be likely to be in use every Saturday so the club would gain on that score. I myself have concerns about the playing surface and how it will hold up in January and February and the groundsmen may well ave thier work cut out on that score but see how that goes. Today is the last day to get an agreement so it can be registered with the soccer governing body. Fixtures can then be sorted and the season sorted for next year. Hopefully it will work out OK, but see how it goes is the right approach, if it does not go back to rugby only.

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County says...
7:54pm Thu 31 May 12

You're making a mountain out of a molehill. This whole "primacy" issue is not major, at worst we might have a bit of snow and NRFC have to move one of their games to a Sunday, big deal. They obviously need the money but some fans will always rather cut their nose off to spite their face than face up to the realities of modern sport.

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shanerboy says...
11:16pm Thu 31 May 12

so looks like its gonna happen then.i can see the problems with spytty.thats obvious.but its still a shame that the council couldnt get the pitch sorted.the stadium had bags of potential and what with the welsh fa headquarters being built it was perfect in everyway.easy to get to and great parking.they talk about a bigger stadium better atmosphere.what with barely 2000 people in a 12000 stadium.wel end up like darlington if were not lucky.what about baramber.the fans raised so much money to create that.it wont be the same.drinking over rodney parade surrounded by rugby memrobelia.in the perfect world every football club should have its own ground and the same for rugby.but thats never gonna happen.not in the modern game.its gonna very interesting next season.what with attendances and how the team(when we get one) perform.itl always be them and us.i do feel sorry for nrfc.it is their ground and they shouldnt have to play 2nd fiddle to anyone.anyway.lets see what happens.rip newport stadium.you served us well.

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D Taylor says...
12:14am Fri 1 Jun 12

I can see your argument Shanerboy but County are retaining the lease of Spytty for at least another season so we have that safeguard if things do not work out at RP. This is a big move for County and it could wrong or be brilliantly succesful or somewhere in between. But if it turns out to be a mistake all is not lost.

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davidjohnedwards says...
4:07am Fri 1 Jun 12

Olly123 wrote:
Isn't saying something derogatory about a football team a form of attack? I'm not sure where it says an attack can only be aimed at a person and not a team or organisation.. I used the word personally in reference to you being the person doing the attacking. After all you are a person in the singular and you made the comment. Hence it was a personal attack. I notice in one of your more recent posts you again resort to name calling when it comes to your obvious dislike of football. I don't much care for rugby but I wouldn't insult the rugby loving people of newport by calling their game names. I accept there are many cons to the county move to Rodney Parade and accept that county are in many ways hijacking the ground but their is no need to resort to name calling and insults to put your point across.
Olly123. You specifically accused me of a personal attack. Maybe use better English and your argument would hold. I can't direct a PERSONAL attack at a team. Hence the word PERSONAL. I also said it wasn't a very good team. That's not derogatory, it's an opinion (quite accurate though). This deal has gone through and so I'll just wait now for NRFC to be pushed further down the pecking order AT THEIR OWN GROUND. Ironically, any additional money made will be probably be used to prop up the unpopular Drag-ons whereas it should go to the team that owns the ground. Of course we all know that won't happen.

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Olly123 says...
10:36am Fri 1 Jun 12

Daviddjohnedwards you call the dragons and now Newport County leeches but I think youneed to take off you rose tinted glasses and realise the financia realities. With the crowds Newport RFC have pulled in the last few years, if the dragons hadn't been tenants then you wouldn't even have a team to support now. In saying that I am quoting quite a few work colleagues/friends who are Newport RFC season ticket holeders. So I think that rather than calling the dragons leeches you should be saying a big thank you to the dragons officials and start living in the sporting world of the 21st century.

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