NEWPORT County AFC manager Justin Edinburgh has received a major boost to his plans for next season’s League Two campaign as six of his promotion heroes have agreed terms to stay at Rodney Parade.

Less than a week after winning the Conference play-off final against Wrexham at Wembley, captain David Pipe, fellow defenders Tony James and Byron Anthony, midfield duo Mike Flynn and Lee Minshull and striker Danny Crow have all shaken hands with Edinburgh on new deals for next season.

They are expected to put pen to paper over the next few days and will join Max Porter, Andy Sandell, Andrew Hughes, Christian Jolley, Robbie Willmott and Lenny Pidgeley in committing to the Exiles for their first Football League campaign in 25 years.

The Argus has been told that talks will continue next week with Aaron O’Connor, Ismail Yakubu, Scott Donnelly, Ben Swallow, Rhys Griffiths and Alan Julian.

Edinburgh is confident of securing the signatures he wants before targeting new recruits.

“We’ve enjoyed the last few days and rightly so but this is where the hard work begins,” said the Exiles boss.

“I’ve sat down with a lot of the players already and we’ve identified who we want to keep. Hopefully we’ll get that done as soon as possible.”

Meanwhile, County chairman Les Scadding has vowed to provide Edinburgh with all the financial backing he needs to establish the club among the top 92 in the country.

The 62-year-old, who won more than £45million in the Euromillions lottery back in 2009, insists he is not a sugar daddy and he won’t be writing out seven-figure cheques.

Scadding, who took over the role from Chris Blight last summer said: “When you become the chairman of the club I think you’ve got to make a commitment and I’ve done that.

“This week has been the reward for that and I couldn’t be happier. It makes it all worthwhile.

“But it doesn’t stop here. We’re going to make ourselves a stronger, bigger club.

“We battled for 25 years to get back into the Football League and we want to stay where we are now, we don’t want to go through that again!

“I’ve always been there for Justin and I always will be. I’ve told him what I always tell him – if it’s there, it’s the right time and I’m able to help out, then I’ll help him all the way.

“But I’m not a sugar daddy and I never will be,” he added.

“I want this club to be able to open the gates on a Saturday afternoon and get 3,500-4,000 people in here because we’re in the league, and that [attendance] pays the wages.

“Then, if the odd player comes along for £50,000-£60,000, and maybe we don’t have it in the bank, we’ll bring him in.

“But I’m not here to do £100,000 a month.”