Newport County AFC News

Newport County Sink to Bottom After Narrow MK Dons Defeat as Relegation Fears Mount

By Football Desk | February 15, 2026

Newport County AFC slipped to the very bottom of the EFL League Two table following a frustrating 1-0 defeat away at promotion contenders Milton Keynes Dons on Saturday afternoon. The early concession proved decisive in a game where the Exiles showed glimpses of promise but ultimately lacked the clinical edge required to turn performances into points.

Manager Christian Fuchs, now in his first full season at Rodney Parade after taking charge in November 2025, expressed disappointment but maintained belief in his squad's ability to fight back. "We must be more ruthless in both boxes," he said post-match. "The performances have been there in recent weeks, but small mistakes and a lack of cutting edge are costing us dearly. We are still alive in this battle."

The goal arrived inside the first two minutes when Aaron Collins capitalised on a defensive lapse to slot home for MK Dons, who extended their unbeaten league run to seven games. Despite dominating possession at times and creating chances — including opportunities for new signing Cole Jarvis on his full debut — Newport failed to find an equaliser. The result marked their 12th away defeat of the campaign and stretched their winless streak to five matches across all competitions.

The loss leaves the Exiles rooted at the foot of the standings with 21 points from 31 games, now five points adrift of safety with 15 fixtures remaining. A tough sequence of games against top-six opposition has done little to ease the pressure, following a 2-0 defeat at Swindon Town on February 11 and a goalless home draw with Grimsby Town the previous weekend. Fuchs had urged his players not to "hide from anybody" ahead of the run, but results have yet to reflect the improved underlying performances he has demanded.

January's transfer activity provided some fresh impetus, with loan additions like Harrison Biggins (who has already contributed goals), Ryan Delaney for defensive solidity, and the deadline-day arrival of Austrian midfielder Sven Sprangler from St Johnstone. Young forward Cole Jarvis joined from Merthyr Town shortly after the window closed, while extensions for loanees Nathaniel Opoku and Ben Lloyd offered continuity. However, the departures of goalkeeper Nik Tzanev to Huddersfield Town and midfielder Kai Whitmore (contract terminated by mutual consent) reflected the need for a squad refresh amid the survival fight.

Attention now turns to Tuesday night's trip to Salford City, another promotion hopeful, before a home clash with Cambridge United on February 21. Fuchs insists the approach remains unchanged: "We will keep pushing. The quality is in the group, and we need to eliminate those individual errors while being more clinical when chances come." Supporters will hope the January recruits can spark a turnaround as the club battles to preserve its Football League status.

With the season entering its decisive phase, every point becomes vital for a side that has shown resilience despite the table's harsh reality. Rodney Parade could yet prove the fortress needed to drag Newport out of danger in what remains a fiercely competitive relegation scrap.

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Home of Newport County AFC

Opened 1877

Capacity 7,850

History (from Wikipedia)

In 1875, the Newport Athletic Club was created, and two years later they secured the use of land at Rodney Parade from Godfrey Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar, for their cricket, tennis, rugby and athletics teams. In October 1879, Newport RFC played Cardiff RFC in a floodlit game at Rodney Parade. It was the first ground in Wales to have floodlights installed.

Newport rugby club enjoyed six highly successful seasons, being unbeaten during that time. The team sustained their first defeat in the 1870s, but were again unbeaten in seasons 1891-2 and 1922-3. Monmouthshire County Cricket Club played at Rodney Parade from 1901 to 1934. Newport RFC provided internationals for every one of the four home countries at Rodney Parade, as well as South Africa. Newport were once scheduled for a regular fixture, against Bristol – a team drawn from Welsh, English, Irish and Scottish internationals. The powerful All Blacks of 1924, and the strong Springboks of 1960, were considered fortunate to evade defeat at Rodney Parade.

The cricket ground, which was on the south side of the stadium, no longer exists, because the new Maindee primary school was built on the site in 1993. Newport Cricket Club relocated to the Newport International Sports Village.

Following the introduction of regional rugby union teams in Wales, the Newport Gwent Dragons regional team was formed on 1 April 2003 and shared Rodney Parade with Newport RFC from then onwards.

On 4 September 2007, it was announced that the Rodney Parade site was due to be redeveloped into a 15,000-capacity stadium by the beginning of the 2010–11 rugby union season. The redevelopment was backed by Newport City Council, Newport Unlimited, Newport RFC and Newport Gwent Dragons. The application received planning consent on 11 March 2009. The plan included construction of covered stands at the north and south ends and the provision of cover on the stretch of the west touchline terrace. In August 2010, it was announced that the target finish date for the first phase had been put back to the beginning of the 2011–12 rugby union season with the full redevelopment planned to take several years.[5] The new east stand was opened in October 2011, and named the Bisley Stand for sponsorship purposes.

In May 2012, it was agreed that Newport County football club would move from Newport Stadium and play its home fixtures at Rodney Parade as part of an initial three-year deal, meaning that the stadium would host association football matches on a regular basis for the first time. In February 2013, Newport County agreed a further 10-year lease to play at Rodney Parade.[6]
In April 2013, Newport Athletic Bowls Club relocated from Rodney Parade to Caerleon.[7]

In the summers of 2013 and 2014, new drainage and irrigation systems were installed under the grass playing surface.[8] Despite that, serious drainage problems occurred at the end of 2016. Newport County's matches against Barnet on 3 September and Morecambe on 10 December were abandoned at half-time because the pitch was waterlogged and the English Football League stepped in to help identify the problem.[9]

In March 2017, sale of the ground to the Welsh Rugby Union was agreed following a vote of Newport RFC shareholders.[10] The takeover was completed on 27 June 2017 and work started to install a hybrid grass pitch for the 2017–18 rugby and football season.[11]

Things to do in Newport.