1939–40 Newport County A.F.C. season
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox football club season
| club = Newport County
| season = 1939–40
| manager = Billy McCandless
| stadium = Somerton Park
| chairman =
| league = Second Division
| league result = Joint 10th (season abandoned)
| cup1 = Welsh Cup
| cup1 result = Semifinal
| cup2 =
| cup2 result =
| league topscorer = A.J.E. Hydes (3)
| season topscorer = W. Robbins (22)
| highest attendance = 19,700 vs Tottenham Hotspur (31 August 1939)
| lowest attendance = 13,810 vs Southampton (26 August 1939)
| average attendance = 16,755 (Football League)
| prevseason = 1938–39
| nextseason = 1945–46
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| pattern_la2=|pattern_ra2=|pattern_b2=|leftarm2=FFFFFF|body2=FFFFFF|rightarm2=FFFFFF|shorts2=FFFFFF|socks2=FFFFFF
}}
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.
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
=Second Division=
{{Main|1939–40 Football League#Second Division}}
| class="wikitable"
!Date !Opponents !Venue !Result !Scorers !Attendance | ||||||
| bgcolor="#ddffdd" | Sat 26 Aug 1939 | Southampton | H | 3–1 | Hydes (2), Hickman | align="right"|13,810 |
| bgcolor="#ffffdd" | Thu 31 Aug 1939 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 1–1 | Hickman | align="right"|19,700 |
| bgcolor="#ffdddd" | Sat 2 Sep 1939 | Nottingham Forest | A | 1–2 | Hydes | align="right"|9,521 |
=War League (South-West)=
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Date !Opponents !Venue !Result !Scorers !Attendance | ||||||
| bgcolor="#ffdddd" | 21 Oct 1939 | Swindon Town | H | 0–2 | align="right"|1,824 | |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd" | 28 Oct 1939 | Bristol Rovers | A | 3–2 | Carr 2, Robbins | align="right"|1,186 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd" | 4 Nov 1939 | Swansea Town | A | 2–1 | Carr, Robbins | align="right"|3,000 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd" | 11 Nov 1939 | Torquay United | H | 1–0 | Robbins | align="right"|802 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd" | 25 Nov 1939 | Cardiff City | H | 3–1 | Robbins 3 | align="right"|2,228 |
| bgcolor="#ffdddd" | 2 Dec 1939 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 0–2 | align="right"|3,500 | |
| bgcolor="#ffdddd" | 9 Dec 1939 | Swindon Town | A | 1–2 | align="right"|3,145 | |
| bgcolor="#ffdddd" | 16 Dec 1939 | Bristol Rovers | H | 0–1 | align="right"|1,752 | |
| bgcolor="#ffffdd" | 23 Dec 1939 | Swansea Town | H | 2–2 | Brinton, Hydes | align="right"|1,000 |
| bgcolor="#ffffdd" | 25 Dec 1939 | Bristol City | H | 1–1 | Robbins | align="right"|2,100 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd" | 26 Dec 1939 | Bristol City | A | 3–1 | Robbins 2, Carr | align="right"|2,763 |
| bgcolor="#ffdddd" | 30 Dec 1939 | Torquay United | A | 2–6 | Wookey, Carr | align="right"|1,000 |
| bgcolor="#ffdddd" | 13 Jan 1940 | Cardiff City | A | 0–1 | align="right"|4,000 | |
| bgcolor="#ffffdd" | 10 Feb 1940 | Swansea Town | A | 2–2 | Robbins, Higgins | align="right"|3,000 |
| bgcolor="#ffdddd" | 24 Feb 1940 | Bristol City | A | 2–6 | Morgan (OG), Roberts (OG) | align="right"|1,799 |
| bgcolor="#ffdddd" | 9 Mar 1940 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 0–3 | align="right"|3,800 | |
| bgcolor="#ffffdd" | 16 Mar 1940 | Swindon Town | A | 3–3 | Wookey, Robbins, Appleby | align="right"|3,182 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd" | 22 Mar 1940 | Bristol Rovers | A | 5–3 | Wookey 2, Carr, Robbins, Appleby | align="right"|3,240 |
| bgcolor="#ffdddd" | 25 Mar 1940 | Bristol Rovers | H | 0–2 | align="right"|4,179 | |
| bgcolor="#ffdddd" | 30 Mar 1940 | Swansea Town | H | 1–5 | Brinton | align="right"|1,200 |
| bgcolor="#ffdddd" | 6 Apr 1940 | Torquay United | A | 3–4 | Brinton, Robbins, Appleby | align="right"|1,515 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd" | 4 May 1940 | Bristol City | H | 4–1 | Brinton, Mogford, Robbins, Appleby | align="right"|2,000 |
| bgcolor="#ffdddd" | 13 May 1940 | Cardiff City | A | 1–4 | Robbins | align="right"|2,000 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd" | 18 May 1940 | Swindon Town | H | 5–2 | Wookey 2, W.M. Owen, W.E. Owen, Appleby | align="right"|600 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd" | 25 May 1940 | Cardiff City | H | 4–1 | Appleby 2, Wookey, Ballsom (OG) | align="right"|600 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd" | 1 Jun 1940 | Torquay United | H | 11–0 | Appleby 4, W.E. Owen 4, Wookey, Newall, Lawrence | align="right"|500 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd" | 7 Jun 1940 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 6–3 | Appleby 2, W.M. Owen, Lawrence, Wookey, Anthony (OG) | align="right"|— |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd" | 8 Jun 1940 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 5–2 | Appleby 3, Webb, Newall | align="right"|— |
=War League Cup (South-West)=
| class="wikitable"
!Date !Opponents !Venue !Result !Scorers !Attendance | ||||||
| bgcolor="#ffffdd" | 20 Apr 1940 | Birmingham | H | 2–2 | Robbins, Egan | align="right"|4,500 |
| bgcolor="#ffdddd" | 27 Apr 1940 | Birmingham | A | 2–5 | Brinton, Wookey | align="right"|6,700 |
=Welsh Cup=
| class="wikitable"
!Round !Date !Opponents !Venue !Result !Scorers !Attendance | ||||||
| bgcolor="#ffffdd"
|5 | 14 Dec 1939 | Lovells Athletic | H | 1–1 | Higgins | align="right"|— |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd"
|5r | 4 Jan 1940 | Lovells Athletic | A | 2–0 | Robbins, Higgins | align="right"|— |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd"
|6 | 3 Feb 1940 | Barry Town | A | 3–2 | Hydes 2, Brinton | align="right"|— |
| bgcolor="#ffffdd"
|7 | 2 Mar 1940 | Cardiff City | A | 1–1 | Newall | align="right"|3,000 |
| bgcolor="#ddffdd"
|7r | 18 Mar 1940 | Cardiff City | H | 5–0 | Robbins 2, W.M.Owen, Wookey, Appleby | align="right"|800 |
| bgcolor="#ffdddd"
|SF | 13 Apr 1940 | Swansea Town | A | 0–1 | align="right"|— |
League table
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
!width=20|Pos !width=175|Team !width=20|Pld !width=20|W !width=20|D !width=20|L !width=20|F !width=20|A !width=20|GA !width=20|GD !width=20|Pts | ||||||||||
| 1 | align="left"|Luton Town | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 7.000 | +6 | 5 |
| 2 | align="left"|Birmingham | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 5.000 | +4 | 5 |
| 3 | align="left"|Leicester City | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 2.500 | +3 | 4 |
| 4 | align="left"|Coventry City | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 6 | 1.333 | +2 | 4 |
| 5 | align="left"|Plymouth Argyle | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1.333 | +1 | 4 |
| 6 | align="left"|West Ham United | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1.250 | +1 | 4 |
| 7 | align="left"|Tottenham Hotspur | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 1.200 | +1 | 4 |
| 8 | align="left"|Nottingham Forest | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 1.000 | ±0 | 4 |
| 9 | align="left"|Manchester City | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1.333 | +1 | 3 |
| 10 | align="left"|Millwall | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1.250 | +1 | 3 |
| 10 | align="left"|Newport County | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1.250 | +1 | 3 |
| 12 | align="left"|West Bromwich Albion | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 1.000 | ±0 | 3 |
| 13 | align="left"|Bury | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0.800 | –1 | 3 |
| 14 | align="left"|Newcastle United | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 1.333 | +2 | 2 |
| 15 | align="left"|Chesterfield | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1.000 | ±0 | 2 |
| 16 | align="left"|Barnsley | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 0.875 | –1 | 2 |
| 17 | align="left"|Southampton | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 0.833 | –1 | 2 |
| 18 | align="left"|Sheffield Wednesday | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0.600 | –2 | 2 |
| 19 | align="left"|Swansea Town | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 0.455 | –6 | 2 |
| 20 | align="left"|Fulham | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 0.500 | –3 | 1 |
| 21 | align="left"|Burnley | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0.333 | –2 | 1 |
| 22 | align="left"|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
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20160827182701/http://wfda.co.uk/welsh_cup.php?id=59 Welsh Cup 1939/40]
- [https://www.footballsite.co.uk/Statistics/Seasons/1939-40/Div21939-40.htm9 Division 2 1939/40]{{Dead link|date=February 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Sources
- Amber in the Blood: History of Newport County F.C. {{ISBN|1-874427-40-2}}
{{Newport County A.F.C. seasons}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Newport County A.F.C. Season 1939-40}}