Can We Finally Break the Newport Curse?

Here we go again. We’re heading to Newport County this Saturday, and to be honest, it’s a classic case of head versus heart.

On one hand, we’re absolutely flying. We’re sitting joint-top of League Two and, after the win against Notts County last weekend, we’ve matched the club’s all-time unbeaten league run of 20 games from the 1973/74 season. Just avoiding defeat at Rodney Parade will make history.

On the other hand… it’s Newport away. We haven’t won there in nearly 40 years. It’s the ultimate bogey ground for us, and it’s where our last league defeat came back in March. So, it’s a proper test: our brilliant form against a place that’s been a house of horrors for us. With no midweek game, at least the boys have had a full week to get ready for it.

The Record Run vs. The Rodney Parade Hoodoo

You can’t ignore the buzz around the club right now. Being unbeaten in 20 league games is just incredible stuff. The gaffer, Gareth Ainsworth, is rightly playing it cool, telling the press that "records are there to be broken" but also reminding everyone that any team can beat anyone in this league. He’s doing a great job of keeping feet on the ground while we’re all dreaming of setting a new club milestone.

Let’s be honest, the way we’re winning games is a thing of beauty if you love a solid, organised team. Seven of our eight league wins under Ainsworth have been 1-0. He even joked about it, saying, “Believe me, as a manager, a 1-0 is as good as a 5-0.” And he’s dead right. We’ve become so hard to break down. We’ve only let in 5 goals in 8 games this season, which is a massive reason why we’re up there.

The best part is, we’ve scored in every single game under him. So while the defence is getting all the headlines, we’ve always got a goal in us. The big question everyone is asking is whether our momentum is enough to finally get a result at a ground that’s given us nothing but grief for years.

What We're All Saying

The feeling among the Gills faithful is a mix of massive confidence and a bit of a nervous twitch. On social media, everyone’s talking about making history. One fan, @HaydnParry on X, pointed out that Ainsworth’s league record with us (W8 D9 L0) works out to an 89-point pace over a season. It just shows how far we’ve come. We’ve turned into a proper 90-minute team that just doesn’t know when to give up.

But then there’s the venue. As one fan on a forum put it perfectly: “if we do manage to equal the record we’d need to get a result at Newport to beat it… f***ing Newport.” You just couldn’t write it, could you? The memory of that 3-1 loss there in March, our last defeat, is still lingers in the mind.

Still, the mood is overwhelmingly positive. Most of us are backing the team to finally do it. Predictions for a “2-0 to the Gills” are doing the rounds, with plenty of shouts for Josh Andrews or Sam Vokes to get on the scoresheet. As another fan tweeted, “This team is different gravy – if anyone can win at Rodney Parade, it’s us now.” Of course, there are a few superstitious ones predicting a loss just so they don’t jinx it, but you get that! With over 400 of us making the trip down to South Wales, the travelling support will be right behind the team, hoping to see a bit of history made.

A Look at Newport

So what about them, then? The Exiles are having a rotten time. They’re way down in 22nd with just 5 points from 8 games. They finally stopped a six-game losing streak with a 1-1 draw at Tranmere last weekend, but they’re a side seriously short on confidence.

Their new manager, David Hughes, has already had a go at his players in the press, saying it’s “no more Mr Nice Guys” and demanding they show a bit of fight. It sounds like there are a few grumbles from their fans about their summer transfers too.

The main man we’ll have to watch is their striker, Courtney Baker-Richardson, who got their late equaliser last week. But as a team, they’re struggling. They’ve conceded 13 goals already, so our attack should fancy their chances.

The one thing they’ve got going for them is their ridiculous record against us. Since they came back into the EFL in 2013, we’ve played them six times in the league and lost every single one. It makes no sense, but it’s a fact. You can bet their players will be clinging to that, hoping that psychological edge gives them a lift. Even their own club website called us “England’s most in-form team,” so they know they’re massive underdogs. For them, this is a free hit and a chance to kickstart their season. Expect them to come out scrapping.

German Gills Prediction

Everything points to a Gills win, but we all know football isn’t played on paper, especially not at Rodney Parade.

They’ve lost three of their four home games this season, while we’re unbeaten on the road. Our defence is rock-solid and theirs is shaky. It feels like if we can just get one goal, it could be enough. It’s going to be a tight, nervy battle, but our quality and confidence should see us through. Breaking the curse with a gritty, hard-fought 1-0 win feels like the most Gills thing we could possibly do under Ainsworth.

I’m backing the boys to finally do it.

Score Prediction: Newport County 0–1 Gillingham

Written by Rhys - German Gills