A Lasting Legacy to the People Who Saved Newport Cricket Club

The Sale of Rodney Parade Cricket Ground
In 1990, when the Cricket Ground at Rodney Parade was sold, there was a major question mark as to whether Newport Cricket Club had a future. With the rugby dominated Newport Athletic Club offering No financial assistance from the Sale, and with No Home, the future looked bleak, to say the least.

From the depths of despair, a loyal band of volunteers began the fight to Save the Club and with
the help of Newport Borough Council and Grants from various sporting bodies a plan to develop
a new ground at Spytty Park was created.

Led by Eddie Mogford, Mike Grace, Dave & Mike Knight, the club slowly began to take shape. A boggy
marshland covered by Football and Rugby park pitches, was to be the Centre piece of a new
International Sports Village for Newport. From the days of laying 2 new pitches, levelling the outfields and building a new pavilion, the four named above were the driving force that every good club needs, and along with other volunteers a vision for the future was planned. Thanks to support from the Heritage Lottery Fund in 2016, a Museum was developed at the Club to tell the story.

Would County Cricket ever return to Newport?

The Challenge was set - THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM!

It's taken over 30 years, but the grounds and surroundings have matured and developed and currently the Spytty Park ground is as good as it has ever been. Major events and matches have been played, with many milestones passed, but one thing that has remained constant are the 4 named volunteers who began the journey way back in the late 1980's..... Eddie Mogford, Mike Grace, Dave & Mike Knight.

In 2019, (May 14th - 17th) Glamorgan returned to Newport to play a 4 Day, 1st Class County Championship match, against Gloucestershire. 54 years since the last County Championship match was held in Newport. The 4 Days proved a great success, and the match in itself was a tribute to the hard work of many.

30 years on from the dark days of 1990 and thanks to a Heritage Lottery Fund Grant a 'Tribute Stone' has been purchased which reflects the huge efforts of all involved in setting up the Spytty Park ground 30 years ago. The 'Tribute Stone' is the centre piece of a fantastic patio area creating a historic landmark to commemorate – The Impossible Dream....MADE POSSIBLE!

Dave and Mike Knight were awarded BEM's (British Empire Medals) in the 2021 HM Queen's New Years honours List, for their Services to Newport Cricket Club. A legacy not to be forgotten.

Cricket at Rodney Parade was etched with many historic moments, including many 1st Class Cricket

records. Although several One Day matches were held at Rodney Parade in the closing days of the
late 1980's along with the Final 1st Class match against Yorkshire in the Refuge Assurance 40 over
competition in 1990, there had to be a question of would Glamorgan ever return to Newport to play County Cricket?

The 'Tribute Stone' sits proudly on a newly created seating area, on the boundary edge in front of the scoreboard. The benches bear the names of the club's volunteers who have worked tirelessly to create a fantastic Cricket Club.

Who knows what the Future will bring, but one thing is for sure, the Club is in a fantastic position to look forward to it!

Thanks to the Heritage Lottery Fund for their support to the 'Commemorative Corner' Project.