Newport County Season Preview
The summer began in somewhat surprising fashion for County as manager Graham Coughlan left his role in mid-June, 54 days after the end of the season.
The club said they wanted to move in a “different direction” as chairman Huw Jenkins looks to adopt ‘The Swansea way’ which served the West Wales club so well while he was at the Liberty.
New head coach Nelson Jardim was part of the coaching staff at Swansea at various stages including as a first-team coach under Francesco Guidolin, Paul Clement and Carlos Carvahal.
Fans have put their faith in Jenkins, despite Coughlan having performed an objectively good job at County last season, leading them to 18th place in the face of injuries and a lack of transfers.
The Signings
Courtney Baker-Richardson
Age – 28
Position – Striker
With last season’s second highest goal-scorer Seb Palmer-Houlden returning to Bristol City following a season-long loan Newport needed to sign a striker.
Baker-Richardson has now made nearly 100 appearances in League Two, scoring roughly a goal every four games.
He returns to Newport where he spent a season in 2021/22 scoring eight goals. Since then, he has been at Crewe Alexandra, scoring eight and nine goals in 2022-23 and 2023-24 respectively.
However, Newport will need him to up his goal-scoring form following the sale of last season’s top goalscorer Will Evans to Mansfield. Evans scored 25 goals in all competitions last season but leaves for a fee believed to be £200,000, the first transfer fee received by Newport since 2018.
The signing of 22-year-old striker Hamzad Kargbo will be another to hopefully to lighten the goal-scoring burden. He joins on a free transfer after time with QPR and has spent pre-season on trial with County although he is yet to set the world alight.
Ciaran Brennan
Age – 24
Position – Centre Back
The departures of Ryan Delaney and Scot Bennett mean that Newport have needed to focus on signing players capable of playing at centre back.
In comes former Republic of Ireland U19 international Ciaran Brennan from Sheffield Wednesday.
Brennan spent a month last season on loan at non-league Hartlepool having spent the previous season on loan at Swindon Town.
Joining Brennan is 21-year-old Wales U21 international Matt Baker who joins from Stoke having made 32 appearances for the Exiles in League two last season in his second loan spell after the second half of the previous year at Rodney Parade.
Additionally, 23-year-old Cameron Evans, younger brother of former County midfielder Jack has joined. The former Wales U19 international joins after a season at Taunton Town in the National League South.
Anthony Glennon
Age – 24
Position – Left Back
Fullback Anthony Glennon joins from Grimsby with the former Liverpool youth player having made 15 appearances in League Two last season.
Glennon has impressed in pre-season and will look to get forward offensively from left back or left wing back when required.
Along with Glennon, right back Joe Thomas joins from Swansea, while winger Michael Spellman and midfielder Cameron Antwi join from Sunderland and Cardiff respectively.
Newport fans will also hope Oliver Greaves’ goalscoring form in non-league converts to the football league pyramid having scored 28 goals last season.
The Journo Opinion
Speaking on the Sportin Wales podcast, Journalist Philip Marsh said: “They’ve brought in some names that look good and players like Anthony Glennon have impressed.”
“They’re trying to play out the back, the Swansea way, but for me, they didn’t have the players to do it.
“They were so sloppy, watching them against Kidderminster and they played Newport off the park, were by far the better team and County only had two shots on target.
“It’s not been a positive pre-season. The football will be nicer, I do fear for Newport a little bit. It will get better I imagine, the more time Jardim is there and when the player’s get used to the system, but there are warning signs for sure.”
The Manager
Well first and foremost…there isn’t one, technically. Jardim was initially appointed as a ‘lead coach’ in July before being upgraded to head coach.
The contrast appears to match the belief that Jenkins will be overseeing the style of play and overall plan, with a noticeable attempt to sign younger players with an average age of those joining at 22.6 years old compared to an average of 27.2 years old for those departing.
In his first appointment as the top man Jardim faces the difficult task of changing the style of play, whilst also ensuring that Newport stay in the football league having lost their three top goalscorers from last season.
The difficulties in that area are already apparent with County unable to find the back of the net in their last three games against Bristol City, Kidderminster and Hereford.
The Bookies Thoughts
How do the bookies see Newport’s chances this season? Well, Dragon Bet have all the odds for you.
It begins with odds of Newport with odds of 50/1 for Newport to finish top, odds that would appear to be on the short side considering the turn around of players and their pre-season form.
Newport are 9/1 to be promoted and 5/1 to finish top seven however conversely they are 5/1 to be relegated which sadly appears a more realistic option.
Key Fixtures For Newport This Season
Cheltenham v Newport – 15:00, 10th August – EFL League Two
Newport v Doncaster – 15:00, 17th August – EFL League Two
Newport v MK Dons – 15:00, 21st December – EFL League Two
Newport v Wimbledon – 19:45, 2nd January – EFL League Two
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