We are pleased to announce that Newport Football Club have reached agreement to play the 2021/22 season at Smallbrook Stadium on the outskirts of Ryde.
As part of the agreement Newport are upgrading the floodlights at the former Wessex League ground and making other improvements that allow the ground to achieve acceptable Football Association Ground Grading .
Announcing the agreement, Newport FC Chairman, Tony Wake said “We would like to thank Island Speedway and Ryde Saints for their assistance in agreeing this groundshare which will mean more use is made of an excellent local facility.”
“While we are looking forward to the new season at Smallbrook, our long-term future clearly involves a return to our own ground, and we are fully committed to creating a new home for Newport at a community sports facility hopefully to be opened in 2022.
“Our default position remains a move to a site off the Racecourse with work starting in the Autumn. There has been local support for the idea of an alternative site at Seaclose and while that does indeed have advantages – not least being closer to the town – decisions will have to be made very quickly by the local authority which owns the land if that is to remain an option.
“It the meantime, we are already making preparations for next season and look forward to welcoming our fans to Smallbrook and its facilities.”
Photo from left to right: Sarah Green IW Speedway Smallbrook Stadium Manager, Stewart Shepherd Newport FC, Andy Brown Ryde Saints Manager, Steve Brougham Newport FC.