Flynn can’t wait to get started

MIKE Flynn cannot wait for the season to get started.

The Newport County manager takes his troops to the One Call Stadium for their Sky Bet League Two opener against Mansfield Town this afternoon.

The ground holds unhappy memories for County, and Flynn, following their 5-0 defeat in February but the boss is predicting a different outcome as he targets a strong start.

“I’m excited. I’m looking forward to showing what we’ve worked on and what a good group of players we’ve got at the football club,” said a smiling Flynn.

“I want a positive start. I think it gives the group so much confidence and gives the supporters confidence.

“It allows you to take it game by game and not get too carried away.

“The main thing for me is to have a good August and go from there.

“[The game] won’t be as bad as last season so we’ve got nothing to lose.

“On the grand scale of things there wasn’t many low points [last season] but that was definitely one.

“We’re going to go there full of confidence and I’m sure we’re going to surprise a lot of people this season.”

Since that meeting, County have added a number of new faces to the squad in Fraser Franks, Keanu Marsh-Brown, Jamille Matt, Tyreeq Bakinson, Tyler Forbes, Charlie Cooper, Antoine Semenyo, Mark Harris and Andrew Crofts, who will captain the team.

Flynn did admit he had some injury doubts but stopped short of naming any names.

“There are one or two problems that we are looking at,” he said.

“It is what it is. We’ve had a very successful pre-season on the injury front so it’s to be expected. It could be a lot worse.”

However, Joe Day, the only registered firstteam goalkeeper, is expected to start despite missing County’s final pre-season fixture – a 3-1 defeat to Stoke City U23s – last week.

“Day is back, he’s fine. It was just a family issue that he had to deal with,” Flynn said.