26/04 - 20:00
Newport County fans have witnessed quite a turnaround in their club's fortunes over recent seasons - the appointment of current manager Michael Flynn in 2016/17 triggering an amazing upturn in form that has transformed them into genuine League Two promotion contenders.
To get the inside line on the Exiles (and their ridiculous clean sheets stats in 2019...), we got in touch with Andrew Penman from Argus on County.
Michael Flynn has worked wonders since taking the reins at the end of the 2016/17 season...just how big an impact has he made and what stand out as his managerial strengths?
He’s transformed a club that was on its knees, staring down the barrel at relegation back to non-league football and possible oblivion, to genuine promotion candidates at the top of League Two.
It’s been a remarkable few years since Flynn replaced Graham Westley in March 2017 with County 11 points from safety with just 12 games to go.
They completed the Great Escape with a last-minute winner on the final day and have gone from strength to strength ever since with two seasons of FA Cup success and a run to the play-off final last May.
This season they look even stronger, despite losing some key players over the summer. Excellent recruitment is definitely one of Flynn’s strengths and he has used the loan market well, building close relationships with clubs higher up the ladder.
That has helped maintain a superb team spirit and demonstrated Flynn’s excellent man-management skills.
He has also surrounded himself with a brilliant team, with assistant Wayne Hatswell and advisor Lennie Lawrence adding tactical nous and experience.
Flynn recently signed a new deal with the Exiles...how important was this from the club's perspective? He obviously has a special bond with the club, but do you foresee Flynn leaving if Newport maintain their upward trajectory under his leadership?
The new deal was welcome news after an unsettling period when Flynn was strongly linked with the vacant managerial post at League One Lincoln City.
He’s previously been linked with the likes of Bristol Rovers and Shrewsbury Town in the third tier and it’s obvious that his achievements at Newport have caught the eye of clubs higher up the food chain.
Flynn is an ambitious young manager and he’s made no secret of the fact that he wants to work at the highest level he can.
It’s inevitable that he will move on at some point if his success continues at County but he does undoubtedly have a real bond with his hometown club and he will ideally want to win promotion before he goes.
If, however, a Championship job came his way, the new contract would at least mean that County would be compensated for losing him.
📈 Most league clean sheets in 2019 (top 4 tiers; inc. P/Os):
— playmakerstats (@playmaker_EN) October 7, 2019
20⛔: 👊NEWPORT*👊
17⛔: Sheff U, Forest Green
15⛔: Man C
14⛔: Charlton, Sheff W
* kept a clean sheet in 54% of their L2 games in 2019. #NCAFC @NewportCounty @RyanHaynes1995 pic.twitter.com/fleExx490n
Newport have kept a mindboggling 20 league clean sheets in 2019, despite overhauling their backline in the summer. What is the secret behind their defensive success?
Good recruitment and a lot of hard work, both on the pitch and on the training ground during the summer, have been key to the improvement in defence.
In the first half of last season, Flynn’s team were conceding too many goals but things changed in January with the loan signing of Regan Poole and the focus of chasing a play-off place leading to 12 clean sheets in 23 games.
And, despite losing centre-back Poole, goalkeeper Joe Day and left-back Dan Butler, as well as right-back David Pipe and centre-back Fraser Franks to retirement and Mickey Demetriou to a long-term injury, they look even stronger in defence at the start of the new campaign.
New goalkeeper Tom King has kept eight clean sheets in 12 games, ably assisted by new left-back Ryan Haynes, new right-back Danny McNamara and new centre-backs Kyle Howkins and Ryan Inniss, and Mark O’Brien – the one constant in the back line for most of the year.
There was also a lot of work done on defensive shape in the summer and the team defend from the front with Padraig Amond, Jamille Matt and Tristan Abrahams pressing their opponents and Josh Sheehan excelling in the defensive midfield role.
The likes of Ben White, Joe Day and Dan Butler have climbed up the league ladder in recent seasons after successful spells at Rodney Parade...who from the current crop look destined for big things?
Tom King and Ryan Haynes have both played at a higher level and both look more than capable of doing so again after superb starts to the season, which have almost made fans forget about former favourites Joe Day and Dan Butler.
Day departed for Cardiff City in the summer and Butler for Peterborough United, following in the footsteps of loan players like Ben White and Antoine Semenyo who have gone on to bigger and better things after impressing at Rodney Parade.
The next one who will undoubtedly be catching the eye of scouts is Josh Sheehan, who still wears number 10 but has been converted to a tough-tackling defensive midfielder/deep-lying playmaker.
The former Swansea City academy player and Wales under-21 international has been County’s outstanding performer so far this season now that he’s fully recovered from an ACL injury suffered in 2017.
If he sustains his present form, he’s likely to be the subject of interest in January and next summer.
There has been progression year-on-year since Flynn took charge...the big question: is this the season that Newport can win automatic promotion?
Since beating the drop in 2017, County have been gradually climbing the table – finishing 11th in 2018, seventh last season and they are third in the table at the time of writing.
There is growing belief that this could be their year and they hope to go one better than last season when they were beaten in the play-off final at Wembley.
The rock-solid defence has given the team real confidence and there is certainly no fear going up against anyone in League Two this season.
What may cost them a top-three spot is a lack of goals with just 12 in 12 in the league so far this season. That lack of firepower is a real concern and it puts a lot of pressure on the defence to maintain their impressive form.
County also have a relatively small squad and they will have to be lucky with injuries, but if they can strengthen again in January and keep hold of the manager then this could be the season that they do seal a place in the third tier for the first time since the 1986-1987 campaign.
Many thanks to Andrew for his time; please give him a follow on Twitter for all the latest on Newport County.
🚨Cheltenham Town tickets🚨
— Newport County AFC (@NewportCounty) October 10, 2019
Tickets that have already been purchased are still valid for the rearranged fixture. Ticket refunds cannot be processed until the new date is announced. pic.twitter.com/oswWrl6r6x
