NEWPORT County AFC midfielder Adam Chapman is ready to prove to Mansfield Town that he made the right choice in rejecting them and signing for the Exiles this summer.

Chapman helped the Stags win the Conference title last season when he was on loan from Oxford United but then jumped ship to play-off winners County.

And the 23-year-old insists he has no regrets about his decision as he prepares to face his old teammates at Rodney Parade this afternoon.

“I’m looking forward to it. It’s nice to play a home game after three away games and hopefully we can continue our good home form,” said the former Northern Ireland under-21 international.

“I played 13 games for them last season and whenever you’ve played for a club previously it’s always got that little edge to it.

“I played a part in them winning the Conference last season and I obviously know a lot of the lads there, even though they’ve brought in quite a few new players.

“I got promoted with them and it will be good to see some of the guys I played with last year and how they’ve come on as a team,” he added.

“They offered me a deal in the summer, which we had a chat about, but Justin rang me shortly after Newport got promoted.

“I knew of their interest and I have no regrets about choosing to come to Newport.”

Chapman, who had a brief loan spell at County in 2012, is delighted to be back in South Wales.

“I’m really enjoying it here,” he said. “We’ve moved to the area as a family and we’re loving life in Wales, especially the sun this week.

“I went home this week and my mum and dad were shocked to see a bit of colour in my cheeks. They thought Wales was freezing!

“All the boys are brilliant and the winning mentality has carried over from last season.

“We looked at this part of the first ten games with two home games in a row against Mansfield and Morcambe as two we can target six points from.”

County will be without Andy Sandell due to a foot injury but Chapman is one player who can see an upside to the left wing-back’s absence.

“It is a blow to lose Sands,” he said. “He’s been struggling with his foot for a while but hopefully I can nick a few penalties off him now!”