Rodney Parade has been the home of Newport County since 2012 after the club moved out of their Spytty Park home. Characterised by its iconic yellow grass surrounding the pitch, the stadium is home to Dragons RFC, one of Wales’ four professional Rugby Union club sides and has hosted international rugby matches since 1884. Rodney Parade is the sixth oldest stadium in the current 92 club lineup in the top four English divisions, and the second oldest in Wales behind Wrexham’s The Racecourse Ground.
Rodney Parade Stats
On the bank of the River Usk in Newport, Rodney Parade is centrally located within the Welsh Town and one of four stadiums that host EFL Football in Wales. It was built in 1877 as a hub for all kinds of sports, but Rugby quickly took prominence at the ground. It was briefly the home to Monmouthshire County Cricket Club. Football arrived at the stadium in 2012 when Newport County took in an initial 3-year lease which was later extended through to 2034. Next door is home to Newport Athletic Club and hosts a running track as well as multiple squash courts.
Rodney Parade Key Facts
- Capacity: 8,700 (7,850 seated)
- Address: Rodney Road, Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales, NP19 0UU
- Year Opened: 1877
- Home Team(s): Newport County Association Football Club, Dragons RFC
- Record Attendance: 31,000 (Newport RFC 6-12 South African National Rugby Team, 12th January, 1952)
- Football Record Attendance: 9,836 (Newport County 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur, 27th January, 2018)
- Owner: Dragons Stadium Limited
- First Fixture: Unknown
Rodney Parade Design and Architecture
Rodney Parade is perhaps best characterised by the yellow grass surrounding the pitch, but the stands that surround the pitch vary in age and history. With it being one of the oldest grounds in the English Football League, the stadium has seen many upgrades and changes across nearly 150 years of history. Being surrounded by terraced houses and the sports club next door, the stadium is very similar to many of its peers in League Two but unlike those, has much more of a rugby stadium feel due to its uncovered terraces and temporary stands, which are installed for large cup games.
Rodney Parade has two roofed stands, both of which are seated and a permanent terraced stand behind one goal on the North end of the ground. The South end houses the players’ changing rooms and club facilities, with limited seating which has been extended in the past for large cup games, such as their FA Cup clashes against Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United in recent years.
Rodney Parade Seating Plan
Layout of Rodney Parade. Image from Dragons RFC
The West stand, known as the Candleston Stand, is one of the lengthways stands at Rodney Parade, and is the only two-tiered stand at the ground. It is a peculiar stand compared to all others in the EFL, with the lower tier being a standing terrace, whilst the upper tier has a seating capacity of 1,996 and is home to the press boxes and the dugouts.
The East Stand is the main stand at Rodney Parade. Also known as the Bisley Stand, it has the most capacity of any stand in the ground, with an all-seater capacity of 2,526. This is where the TV cameras are situated, as well as hospitality facilities. Away fans are sometimes situated in Block F of this stand if there is a large demand from the visiting team.
The South Stand is a temporary stand and in the south west corner of this end is where the players’ changing facilities are based. The stand here is a 222 all seater stand, but can have its capacity greatly increased should the club install further temporary seating. The media centre and a video screen are also situated at this end of Rodney Parade.
The North Stand is the only fully-terraced stand at Rodney Parade. It adjoins some small terracing to the side of the West Stand. Usually on matchdays this is where some of the more passionate Newport County supporters sit, and behind the stand is where a fanzone is based within a tent. The Club’s ticket office and Club Shop are located in between the North and East stands.
Rodney Parade Tickets & Pricing
There are always tickets readily available for those wanting to watch football games at Rodney Parade. Tickets can come from as low as £12 for children. Concessions vary between under 21’s and seniors, with the former able to purchase tickets for £18, whilst a senior ticket, valid for those 60 and over, is £20. A standard adult ticket is £24. The club will occasionally run discounted prices for select matches, meaning these fees could be lowered.
The club offers very affordable pricing for children’s season tickets, with Under-16s paying from just £60 to watch all 23 home games for a season. Students and Seniors get concessions, and a standard season ticket under ‘early bird’ pricing at Rodney Parade costs £385.
How To Get Rodney Parade Tickets
Fans can buy tickets to visit Rodney Parade from Newport County’s website, visiting the club’s ticket office at the ground in person, or by contacting the club through their ticket office’s email or on the telephone. Club members are able to get discounts on tickets as well as the ability to purchase their season tickets earlier than non-members.
Matchday Atmosphere and Fan Experience
As one of four Welsh clubs in the English Football League, Newport’s fanbase comes largely from South East Wales and the areas surrounding Newport. It has the country’s major sporting powers in Cardiff City and Swansea City to its west, meaning that many fans will tend to support the two former Premier League sides. In terms of rivals, The Exiles have local derbies with Newport County and Bristol Rovers from the other side of the River Severn.
How To Get To Rodney Parade
Rodney Parade is located in the centre of Newport, just over the other side of the River Usk to the main shopping and leisure areas. It is a short journey away from Newport Train Station and the town is bypassed by the M4 Motorway, meaning it has great links to the national motorway network.
Train could be viewed as the easiest way to get to Rodney Parade, with Newport an essential stop on the mainline between Cardiff and Bristol, meaning it receives regular services between Bristol Temple Meads and Cardiff Central Stations. It also gets common train services from London Paddington from Great Western Railway trains. Newport station is less than a ten minute walk away from the ground, and drops fans off in the middle of the town to soak up the pre-game atmosphere.
Car is often the main choice of travel for fans to get to football matches. Newport is on the M4 motorway and services by Junctions 23A-28 on the road. The closest junction to Rodney Parade is Junction 25, which is less than five minutes away from the ground. Parking is limited around the ground as it is in a residential area, so fans will have to find alternatives and then travel by foot to the stadium.
Regular bus services pass by Rodney Parade, but the main bus terminus in Newport, at Friars’ Walk Shopping Center, is less than a five minute walk away from Rodney Parade. The 9C, 42 and 43 buses stop on Corporation Road, passing the East Stand of the stadium.
Air travel is very limited in Newport, with no airports nearby the town. The biggest major airport nearby is Cardiff, which is a near-hour drive from the terminal to Rodney Parade.
How To Access Rodney Parade For Home Fans
Walking and by bus is the easiest way to access Rodney Parade for home fans. Its central location means it is easy to get to from most of the town, and those from further afield will be able to get a bus to Friar’s Walk and then make the short trip across the Usk to the ground. Most gates are open to home fans, with Gates 1-5 usable. Gate 5 is where the fanzone is located for people wanting to get into the ground early and make the most of their time at Rodney Parade.
How To Access Rodney Parade For Away Fans
Travelling by train or by car is the best way to get to Newport with its location and regular rail services from London, South Wales and the South West of England. Away fans enter the ground through Gate 6 only, which is located on Corporation Road. The club advises fans to park in side streets near the stadium, but to be wary of any parking restrictions in place on matchday. Newport has many public car parks in the town centre, most notably at the train station and at the Kingsway Shopping Centre.
Hotels Near Rodney Parade
For fans willing to spend a night in Newport for their matchday experience, there are plenty of options available to them.
Mecure Newport
The hotel chain has a central location within the town centre, opposite the Friars Walk Shopping Centre. This means it is a very short walk from Rodney Parade, and can let fans soak in the atmosphere within the town itself before heading over to the ground.
- Address: Chartist Tower, Upper Dock St, Newport NP20 1DW
- Phone: 01633837700
- Website: www.all.accor.com
Travelodge Newport Central
A cheaper option for fans, Travelodge’s site in Newport town centre is next to the railway station, meaning that fans travelling this way can get on their way home following checkout.
- Address: 66 Bridge St, Baneswell, Newport NP20 4AP
- Phone: 08719846411
- Website: www.travelodge.co.uk
The Celtic Manor Resort
If fans want to mix their football with a trip to the golf course, staying at The Celtic Manor Resort can offer that. Located next to the Wales International Convention Centre, it also has an adventure golf course, meaning there can be fun for all the family in this expensive choice.
- Address: Coldra Wood, The Usk Valley, Chepstow Rd, Newport NP18 1HQ
- Phone: 01633413000
- Website: www.celtic-manor.com
Pubs, Bars Near Rodney Parade
There’s plenty of places for fans to find some pre-match pints in Newport.
Queens Hotel
Close by to Newport Train Station, the Queens Hotel is a dedicated away pub for Newport County matches so travelling fans can congregate here before travelling to the ground. It also doubles up as alternative accommodation for anyone willing to stay the night.
- Address: 19 Bridge St, Baneswell, Newport NP20 4AN
- Phone: 01633836836
- Website: www.qnewport.com
Riverside Sports Bar
Located right next to the River Usk, this bar give fans pints alongside multiscreens so they can keep abreast of results at other games and in other sports alongside some food. It is an award-winning bar for Best Sports Bar in 2023.
- Address: Clarence Pl, Newport NP19 7AB
- Phone:
- Website: www.riversidesportsbarnewport.com
BAR.CODE
Across the road from the last bar, this venue has a riverside terrace and live music performances, offering a more luxury experience from other places in the town, and just a couple of minutes’ walk away from Rodney Parade.
- Address: BarCode, Rodney Rd, Newport NP19 0AD
- Phone: 07848831616
- Website: www.barcodenewport.com
Updates on Rodney Parade
With Newport County being tenants at Rodney Parade, any decisions about its future and any possible expansion is not in their hands. It was most recently renovated in 2021 by Dragons, giving the ground a new pitch surface and upgraded the floodlighting among other things to the cost of £1 million. However, there is no talk of further facility upgrades to the stadium itself.