Newport County

Response from Newport County DLO

“Thank you for providing your feedback. We are delighted that you had such a positive experience when visiting Rodney Parade.
We have shared your feedback with our matchday operations team which will be greatly appreciated.

We of course, look forward to welcoming you again to Rodney Parade next season”

Once I had purchased my match ticket I contacted Donna at Newport to book a parking space at the club. This is part of the Dragons set up and is by the main entrance. Parking is absolutely free too.

Upon arrival I was greeted by the friendly stewards who remembered me from my previous visit and they shared a joke or two. They directed me to a parking space that suited my requirements as a wheelchair user as I require firm level ground to stand upon when getting out of my car. Although my carer was with me they offered to help with my chair etc but we declined as we have it covered. At this point we could have gone for a drink in their fanzone but we declined as we had arranged to meet up with friends in one of the local pubs for a meal. Last season we went into the fanzone and even though we were the only away fans in there, they welcomed us with open arms.

Entering the ground we were guided to the raised platform area which is amongst the visiting fans. We put up our flag up whilst one of the stewards fetched my carer a comfortable seat and informed us if we required anything else just let them know.

The platform gave a great view of the pitch and accommodated 3 wheelchairs and two ambulant supporters as well, each with a carer. We had a 4th wheelchair with us and he chose to sit in front of the covered seating area as the raised platform was full but he could have squeezed on if he had chosen to. The only issue we had with this area is that the practice goal prior to the game is set up right in front of it, so we were sitting ducks when the players took shots at the goal and they just happen to clear the bar. This made us very uncomfortable and extremely vigilant during this practice session.

The bar area in the away end is very accessible as are the toilets which could be argued are on the small size with the main issue being a broken hand dryer on a cold windy day. The stewards all around this area were very polite and really assisted with anything we wanted.

As the blue badge parking is at the opposite end of the stadium we were told to inform a steward at the end and they would walk us under the home stand and to our cars. This was done with great dignity and friendly chat all the way to the cars. We had to wait for the home fans to generally exit the stand but this gives time to have a comfort break before the journey home. Also, with it being a smallish crowd this does not take very long at all.

The stewards walked us all the way to our cars and asked if there was anything else they could do for us. They wished us a safe journey home and then left. Although this is the home end we felt very safe and comfortable to be around their fans. As the ground is nestled in the back streets there is the usual football traffic congestion but nothing too major and before we knew it we were on the M4 out of there.

We really enjoy visiting this friendly club where disabled people are made to feel welcome and accommodated from the moment you make contact with them. Nothing is too much trouble but more importantly, they do it with a smile and friendly chatter.

Other clubs within the EFL would do well to look at the Newport model when training stewards and dealing with disabled supporters. Well done Newport County you are a credit to the EFL in enabling disabled supporters to visit your club with confidence. Yes, there is still work to be done like most grounds, but you’re definitely on the right track

I am a powerchair user and my husband is a white cane user. This was our third visit to Rodney Parade travelling in an accessible bus that is our Club’s official away transport.

Arrival and Entry to the Ground
The coach dropped off the nearest it could get to the away entrance which is down a footpath between two houses. (Fab street art on the gable end of one of these houses.) The Club have set up what I can only describe as a mobile queuing system which if you are approaching it from the direction we did requires you to go past the entrance on the right and double back through some gates that were just wide enough for my chair to get through. I got the impression that the steward at the gate was a little embarrassed that he had my husband and I trying to get through the gates and I think they would probably let disabled fans through at the beginning of the queue so you avoid the gates but if you don’t know this and the stewards at that point don’t call you over, it doesn’t happen as our experience proved. Once through this system and your tickets and bags checked, you emerge into an open area with the stands in front of you. I did hear that one autistic fan was much troubled that their route into the ground from their reserved Blue Badge parking was to be escorted through the home end, as it was important to them to enter the stadium through the away end, an experience that they had been denied.

Seating Areas
Access to the away seating areas lead off the far side of the open area. There is a temporary uncovered seating stand directly in front of you which is used for away standing (even though there are seats) with the uncovered wheelchair platform (with its own entrance) in the front of this. This has changed from when we were last at Newport a few years ago, when it was a smaller area at 90 degrees to where it is now. Freestanding carer seats were brought to us as we arrived. Thankfully it was dry on this visit but due to the wheelchair viewing areas being uncovered when we have been on wet days, they have at my request moved us to the next stand out of the rain (it is the home stand but when the rain was bouncing it seemed the best option!) We comfortably fitted 8 of us at the front of this platform and all had good views. We did, however, all vacate the platform for the warm-up as the practice goal was positioned right in front of us. I was a little surprised that whilst the steward did not stop us taking this action they viewed it as unnecessary. Clearly, they had not suffered the repeated injuries/fright we have experienced from having the practice goal in front of us at various grounds. The covered seated area for away fans is the first part of the stand down the right-hand side of the pitch. This was clearly the area chosen by families with young children and those for whom standing was not an option albeit the tickets for this area were more expensive. I did hear that the leg room in this area was good.

Audio Described Match Commentary
Not available.

Accessible Toilet
Behind the covered seated stand and accessed through the open end of the stand as you approach it. It is radar key locked and in my experience as there are not necessarily stewards in this vicinity you need your key with you. As I approached it, I immediately recognised that it was a truly “disabled toilet” as apart from the radar lock there was no handle on the outside of the door yet there were handles on all the other numerous doors I could see in the area. So those who in all likelihood are most likely to struggle to open doors had the most difficult door to open. When I pointed this out to a steward it was clear it had not previously struck them. The response I got was “someone got locked in that toilet recently”, sorry not sure how that explains the absence of a handle on the outside of it. As there were no marks to indicate that there had ever been one it was not a case that they had had to remove the handle to rescue someone. I was told they would report it yet I was left unconvinced that it would be reported (but I knew it would be reported via my review). Unfortunately the shortcomings did not end there. Whilst the toilet was a fair size and clean with warm water and hand wash, the hand drier was not working and their were no paper hand towels. At least we were on parity with the gents toilets were the same was reported but wet hands in winter is a bit miserable. I reported this to another steward and was told she would sort it, that was before KO and the situation was unchanged by the middle of the second half. I did look if there was a simple switch to make the hand drier work but I couldn’t find one.

Catering
On the right as you enter is a covered accessible bar. Immediately on your left was a shed selling a range of hot food and drinks. £5.30 for a bacon roll and £4 for a smallish tray of chips. We did treat ourselves to a portion of chips, they were super hot but more towards the French fry end than chunky and therefore seemed a bit greasy. Despite my husband being told that they would be available at the other end of the queue they were brought to him and put in his hands which he was grateful for. We heard that later in the afternoon the queues were long but service was pretty swift.

Stewards
Prior to KO it seemed that we were going to have our own steward for the afternoon on the accessible seating platform. She was lovely and willingly took everyone’s photos for them. I don’t think we frightened her off but at KO she left and we never saw her again. The general consensus was that the stewards were friendly and helpful, apart from my toilet reporting! One of our disabled fans who has very specific requirements told me that all the staff they had dealt with from their first phone call to Newport to discuss their needs had been exceptionally helpful in accommodating them. I witnessed a number of staff checking on them during the afternoon and helpfully telling them what arrangements were in place for them later to reduce their anxiety which they and me were very impressed by, so well done Newport for this.

Leaving the Stadium
On the day of our visit there were 300+ away fans. With this number exit from the away end was unproblematic, back along the entry to the road. We had been told our coach would collect us where it had dropped us off but due to congestion it had to park slightly further along the road, but not too far. The traffic leaving Newport was busy but much better than we have experienced at some grounds and we soon got beyond the congestion. Nice to hear home supporters happily chatting to away fans and each wishing the other well for the season as we headed back to the coach.

Overall
Even though the game ended 0-0 we had a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon, having lots of laughs and banter with others sat near to us. Just how an away day should be we reckon. Would happily go to Newport again but ideally only on days without rain!

I am a season ticket holder and wheelchair. User.

Access to the ground is easy and ALL representatives of the cubs are excellent. Catering facilities are also easy to access under the Bisley stand.

The position behind the goal is not ideal but the view is uninterupted.

We ordered a ticket and a car parking space by phone from Newport.

Arriving at the ground I asked a steward where we entered and he showed me to a gate close to where we parked.

Entering the ground the steward asked for our tickets, said I wasn’t sure where to collect them. But he took us into the ground at the home end & walked us through the back of the stand to the away end, then he collected our tickets for us, scanned them and gave them back to me.

The home end has a new raised platform for wheelchairs but we chose to sit with our own fans, as they haven’t started building a wheelchair platform for the away supporters a steward asked if we would like to sit in the main stand with our supporters. He then removed a barrier and helped my son onto an end seat on the front row.

Good view of all the pitch and no one walked in front of us.

A program seller was close by inside the ground, and a alcohol bar & disabled toilet was just behind the stand. But a burger van was parked close to us, food there was expensive and they didn’t sell pies, though home fans could get them and pasties from their refreshment place. You aren’t allowed to take any food or drinks into the ground, you are forced to buy theirs.

The stewards were excellent and made sure we were ok all the time & to ask them if we needed anything.

After the game, the steward escorted us through the back of the stand again to the home end and exit where the car was parked.

First class stewarding and a good day out.

We drove to the game and we parked very close to the stadium. I was allowed 2 free carer tickets because i have to have two carers. Inside the ground stewards were very friendly and I could sit with my own supporters. Great for me.

where do I start, disabled people are definately 2nd class at Newport, portsmouth arranged to park nearby, pick up disabled and drop near ground. The police had other ideas and this was all stopped, myself and one other travelled in police cars to the ground however were told we had to make our own way back. The seating area for disabled is target practice for the newport team whilst warming up and is very scary, sitting in a bus shelter type building with glass panels missing out of the roof, the practice goal area is right in the front. The stewards stood in front most of the game dispite being asked to move. The area leading up to the shelter is very uneven and almost impossible to push a wheelchair, trying to get to the toilets and the food/drink stall is impossible all in all terrible ground. I ALSO WAS ASKED TO SHAKE MY CRUTCHES AT SECURITY??

Having travelled up on the PAFC away coach. The coaches were not be able to park near the ground. I had to walk in appalling weather for 15 minutes to the ground. Many who travel up on the coach are elderly and have disabilities. Many struggled in the walk to the ground. Having been wet through to the skin and then having to walk again back to the coachgetting even wetter we then had a journey home many in wet clothes. Thee seem to be lack of any planning for the away coaches to get close to the ground. We were treated appalling. The catering was poor with long queues to get hot food and drink.Those supporters who had no cover in the standswere drenched. Poor facilities for away fans.