RECORD breakers Newport County will be full of excitement after finally progressing to the Conference National, with another historic achievement required if the Exiles are to return to the Football League.
No side has ever gone from the Blue Square South and achieved promotion to the Conference National, either in subsequent seasons or at all.
The inaugural winners of the Blue Square South Grays Athletic, whose record of 98 points in a season County broke this term, have just been relegated back to the Conference South. The 2004/5-playoff winners Easbourne Borough are in the lower reaches of the Conference after a subsequent relegation and another playoff win in 2007/8.
It gets even worse as the years roll on, the 2005/6 winners Weymouth just relegated from the Conference South with their future far from certain. The playoff winners from 2005/6 St Albans struggled to keep their heads above relegation from the Conference South too.
Five of the last six promoted sides, from the years 2006-9, have at least consolidated in the Conference, though only Wimbledon finished in the top half this season. Histon, Salisbury, Eastbourne and Hayes and Yeading all finished in the lower reaches while Lewes, the 2007/8 Conference South champions, just avoided Blue Square South relegation this term.
However, County supporters will be cautiously optimistic that they are the side who can buck the trend and enjoy success at the top of the Conference National.
They are not saddled with debt like some of the aforementioned clubs, while the statistics emphatically suggest the Exiles are the best side ever promoted to the Conference National.
Their 103-point haul in the Blue Square South is a record, along with records for the most wins in a season (32), the fewest defeats (3), fewest goals conceded (26) and most clean sheets (23).
And they will need that form with a staggering amount of ex-Football League clubs to tangle with next term.
With Luton Town, Oxford United, Rushden and York set to contend the playoffs, at least three historic clubs with big aspirations will remain next year.
Add to that list Wimbledon, Mansfield Town (managed by Dean Holdsworth’s twin brother David), Cambridge United, Kidderminster Harriers, promoted Southport, relegated Darlington and likely Grimsby, and Welsh rivals Wrexham and it’s clear County’s days of being a big fish in a small pond are definitely gone.
County are struggling for a local derby though, Forest Green’s relegation meaning that unless Bath City go up via the playoffs, the Exiles will have no local affair next term.
“This is what we’ve wanted, we want to be testing ourselves against the best sides possible,” manager Dean Holdsworth explained.
“There are some great games to look forward to, playing in a Welsh derby with Wrexham and of course from my point of view, the Mansfield game will be special.”
Holdsworth will be looking to tie down more of his squad to deals for next season this week.
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