KEVIN Feely has urged Newport County AFC to do everything they can to keep the current squad at Rodney Parade, especially teenage star Regan Poole.

Defender Feely is one of just five players currently under contract for next season, alongside Joe Day, Mark Byrne, Yan Klukowski and youngster Kieran Parselle.

Parselle’s fellow academy graduates Poole, Aaron Collins and Tom Owen-Evans have all been offered professional contracts but have yet to put pen to paper with County.

Poole, who doesn’t turn 17 until next month, was close to a move to Championship club Fulham in January and is believed to be interesting other clubs at that level.

Having played alongside him this season, Feely is a big fan of his fellow centre-back.

He believes Poole is capable of playing at a higher level but is hopeful that they youngster, and the majority of the Exiles squad, will remain at the club this summer.

“I keep expecting to play a game with him and think ‘that’s a 16-year-old’ but it hasn’t happened yet,” said Feely of Poole.

“The last three or four games he’s been unbelievable, near enough our best player, and that’s a ridiculous achievement for a 16-year-old.

“To be doing that playing as a centre-back in League Two, I can’t get my head around it.

“He’s one of the best prospects I’ve seen and I know Fulham have looked at him. He’s more than capable of playing at a higher level.

“But I think it’s crucial to keep this group of players together,” he added.

“There’s a core of players here that have in the past three years achieved something really good and are on the verge of doing something even better.

“I think keeping those nine or ten players is crucial if we want to progress next season.”

Feely also feels that departing manager Jimmy Dack will find a new job quickly but he couldn’t hide his disappointment after finishing ninth in League Two.

“We missed out on the play-offs but, given the situation we were in, I think he did really well,” he said of Dack.

“I’m sure he can move on to another job. He’s shown that he’s well capable of managing a club and if that’s what he wants to do then good luck to him.

“It is progress from last year but there’s not one player in that dressing room that’s not going to be disappointed,” he added.

“We were in such a strong position and we really wanted to make the play-offs.

“It’s really disappointing that we’ve not been able to do that and it’s hard to understand why.

“We got some bad injuries at crucial times but it’s very disappointing.”