League Two outfit Newport County confirm new head coach a week out from their trip to Sixfields

Newport County will have a new man in the dug out when they visit Sixfields to take on Northampton next weekend.

After sacking James Rowberry last week, the Exiles have appointed former Bristol Rovers and Mansfield Town boss Graham Coughlan on a two-and-a-half-year deal. The 47-year-old Irishman is due to be in charge for the first time on Saturday when Newport, currently 19th in League Two, host Colchester United.

Next Saturday’s game at Sixfields will be Coughlan's first visit to Northampton since he launched a remarkable outburst as Mansfield manager in March 2020. The Stags beat Keith Curle’s 10-man Cobblers 2-1 in the final game before lockdown. You can read his post-match interview from that day here – https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/sport/football/opposition-view-it-was-rugby-not-football-stags-boss-coughlan-didnt-enjoy-win-and-attacks-northamptons-awful-style-2440633.

Coughlan began his managerial career at Bristol Rovers in 2018 before choosing to leave for Mansfield, however he was sacked after a poor start to the 2020/21 season. His most recent coaching job was with Sheffield United Under-23s.