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David Hughes - themaclad - 23-05-2025
Newport County have named Manchester United youth coach David Hughes as their new manager.
Hughes has signed a two-year deal at the League Two club, leaving his role as under-21s coach and assistant manager at Old Trafford.
The 47-year-old Welshman replaces Nelson Jardim at Rodney Parade, who left the Exiles two weeks before the end of the season.
"Leaving a great club like Manchester United is never easy, but I'm excited about what lies ahead here," Hughes said.
"You build relationships with people and that makes decisions like this challenging.
"But after speaking to the chairman (Huw Jenkins) on a few occasions, it became a straightforward decision in terms of the challenge ahead and the shared vision for the club."
Having held lead academy roles at Cardiff and Southampton before joining United in August 2022, Hughes has developed an impressive reputation at youth level.
He will now be charged by Jenkins to oversee an upturn in fortunes at Rodney Parade for a youthful squad that finished 22nd in 2024-25.
The Wrexham-born former Wales Under-21s international – who also spent four years as manager of Wales Under-17s – will be assisted by Wayne Hatswell, who was previously number two at Newport under Mike Flynn.
Hatswell leaves a role in the Football Association of Wales (FAW) age-grade set-up to return to Newport, while Lee Kendall has been named the new head of goalkeeping.
RE: David Hughes - themaclad - 16-11-2025
Potted
RE: David Hughes - themaclad - 17-11-2025
Former Wales internationals Nathan Blake and Danny Gabbidon believe David Hughes was on borrowed time at Newport County and it is no surprise he has been sacked as manager.
The 47-year-old was released after just six months in charge following Saturday's 1-0 defeat at fellow strugglers Shrewsbury Town.
That result saw the Exiles cast further adrift at the bottom of League Two, having won only three of their 16 fourth-tier matches this season, and now four points off safety.
"I think it was the worst-kept secret in football that Dave was under major pressure and the fact that he was going to lose his job was nigh, I think everybody knew it," ex-Wales striker Blake told BBC Radio Wales Sport.
Manager Hughes sacked by struggling Newport
"I've seen and read certain match reports and it was definitely on its way unless he could do something miraculous and put a set of wins together which got them off the bottom, out of trouble and up the league then this day was coming. It was unavoidable really."
Welshman Hughes, 47, was appointed Newport boss in May, stepping down as a youth coach at Manchester United in order to take his first senior managerial role.
But he has endured a miserable spell at Rodney Parade, with Newport's inexperienced squad struggling to deliver results amid fan criticism of chairman Huw Jenkins' recruitment policy.
"It was always going to be a difficult first senior role in management for David," former Wales defender and captain Gabbidon told BBC Radio Wales Sport.
"He will probably have known that going into the situation as well.
"I don't think he's probably been given the backing that he thought he would get in terms of the type of player he's been able to bring in.
"He's had that remit as well in terms of maybe the style of play that the owner [Jenkins] wants to see from the team. David is obviously very similar with that, hence why he was brought in.
"But at the end of the day results dictate so he would have know himself the pressure he was under to get results and stay in the job, unfortunately he's not been able to do that.
"It's going to be interesting to see where Newport go from here."
Hughes' exit leaves Newport looking for a fifth permanent boss since Mike Flynn - who is currently out of work - departed in 2021.
"I doubt whether the owner [Jenkins] would have made the decision without having someone in place," Blake added.
"Whether that's Mike Flynn I don't know, but I'm sure we'll get to know soon enough."
Newport's next game is away to mid-table Oldham Athletic on Saturday, 22 November, although there has been no indication from the club if a new manager might be in place by then.