NEWLY appointed Newport County manager John Cornforth insists there will be no old pals act at Spytty Park despite being friends with a lot of the playing squad.

Cornforth played alongside Roger Freestone and Jonathan Coates at Swansea and Jason Bowen and Lee Phillips at Cardiff but he has no intention of staging a Newport Stadium love-in.

He said: "I know the majority of the players from my playing days and they know me. I get on with everyone but don't take my friendship as a weakness because I do not suffer fools gladly.

"The players already will realise that from when I was captain at Swansea.

"I like a laugh and a joke but when it comes to work you have to go about it properly.

"I am ultra-professional but honest as the day is long and if they haven't played well I will tell them."

He added: "But if they have played well I will be the first to shake their hand and pat them on the head."

Cornforth revealed that he wants to install a full-time mentality to his mostly part-time squad and he will be monitoring fitness very closely.

He said: "I think a lot of the players are going through a transitional period, going from full-time to part-time and it is not easy.

"I have to adjust myself, even though I will be full-time. I will be watching the players weight and fitness and doing a fat test each week.

"If they are not in perfect nick then they simply won't play."

Cornforth has a reputation for being a winner on the pitch and this is something he has taken with him into management. "I hate losing. I can't even let my eight year-old beat me at pool," he joked. "My house is not a nice place if my team loses.

"I want players that are brave and by that I don't mean players who go around kicking people.

"I want players who will stand up, even if it is not going for them, and they still want the ball and keep talking on the pitch."

The new boss is looking for the supporters to get behind the team but he knows that the best way to ensure that is by performing on the pitch.

He said: "I played here when I was at Swansea and there is a good fan base.

"If we can get it right on the pitch there are a number of sleeping fans who will come out, especially if we can get on a good run.

"I was at the game last Saturday (the highest attendance in the division) against Hornchurch and the noise they generated was fantastic."

Newport County chairman Chris Blight said that Cornforth dazzled the board with his plans for the club.

He said: "John is only 37 years-old but he said that he was already six years older than Brian Clough when he started in management and that inspired us.

"If we have the players and manager in place along with the right board then we have the right ingredients to shoot for the Conference.

"The sky is the limit."