Newport IW FC will start next season at the Zilch Waste Stadium (Westwood Park) – the home ground of Cowes Sports FC – as Newport’s new ground at Whippingham won’t be ready in time.
Newport (‘Port’) and Cowes Sports (‘the Yachtsmen’) are historically the 2 most successful sides in Isle of Wight football.
Since vacating their former St George’s Park home in the Isle of Wight County Town of Newport, Port have lodged with East Cowes Victoria (‘Vics’) at their Beatrice Avenue ground, then ground shared with Ryde Saints at Smallbrook Stadium, before returning to Beatrice Avenue at the start of last season.
The site of their former ground St George’s Park is owned by South Coast Leisure (SCL), who are proposing to build a retail park there. However, planning permission for the retail park was only granted on condition that SCL provide Port with a new stadium.
Newport’s new ground at the Racecourse in Whippingham is currently under construction but will not be ready for the start of the 2025/26 season.
Port had already informed current landlords Vics that they would not be ground-sharing with them next season.
It is believed the County Town club have previously requested a groundshare at the Zilch Waste Stadium, but the Cowes club had always refused their rivals’ request.
Port lodging at Beatrice Avenue has put fellow Wessex Division 1 side East Cowes Victoria in a healthy financial position, sufficient to attract experienced nonleague players of the calibre of Scott Jones and Elliot Wheeler, enabling the East Cowes side to reach the playoffs this season.
No doubt Cowes Sports will be hoping for a similar financial boost next season to help the club challenge for promotion from the Wessex Premier.
However, allowing Newport IW FC to lodge at the Zilch Waste Stadium will deprive Cowes Sports’ Reserve side – who currently play in Harwoods Division 1 of the Isle of Wight League – of their home ground.
Steve Rackett, Chairman of Newport FC Supporters Association, who owns the Island club, announced yesterday evening (Wednesday):
“Newport IW FC have sought an agreement with Cowes Sports for a groundshare for the early part of the 2025-26 season. This has been done to allow the club to fulfil fixtures and to give South Coast Leisure time to complete the ground at the Racecourse.
“We would like to thank East Cowes Vics for their hospitality over the last 2 seasons, and also thank Cowes Sports their help and cooperation.”
This Saturday, Port travel to Amesbury Town in Wiltshire for their final Wessex Division 1 fixture of the 2024/25 campaign while current landlords East Cowes Victoria entertain Ash United at Beatrice Avenue.
Cowes Sports completed their league season last Saturday with a 2-1 defeat at playoff contenders Hamble Club.
