FORMER player and youth development coach Mike Flynn says he is proud of everything he achieved at his home-town club.

The 34-year-old was told last month that his playing contract at Rodney Parade would not be renewed by new manager Terry Butcher.

And this week Flynn also missed out on the role of Newport County AFC academy manager, with the job going to Cardiff & Vale College academy director Grant Kalahar.

The news marked the end of Flynn’s association with the Exiles, which started as a teenager in the late 1990s and was revived when he returned to the club in 2012 as a veteran of ten years in the Football League.

Flynn brought all his experiences of playing at Wigan Athletic, Gillingham, Blackpool, Huddersfield Town and Bradford City to help seal County’s return to the big-time in 2013.

And his stint as youth development coach saw Regan Poole, Aaron Collins, Tom Owen-Evans and Kieran Parselle all progress to the first team, as well as great runs in the FA Youth Cup and FAW Youth Cup last season.

“I can hold my head up high because I’m really proud of my achievements,” he told the Argus.

“Everyone knows the club is close to my heart and I’d like to thank Tim Harris, who was instrumental in bringing me back, and Justin Edinburgh and Les Scadding for making my dream of getting the club back to the Football League a reality.

“All the players I’ve played with over the last few years have been great as well.

“They are top lads and we had a great team spirit.

“I’m sad to be leaving because I have such affection for the club and the fans and I wish Terry Butcher and Grant Kalahar all the best.”

Flynn is disappointed with the way his exit has been handled this summer, however, having turned down other jobs while he waited on County’s decision.

“I think the way it was handled was pretty poor,” he said. “The club has been a mess off the pitch.

“Wayne Hatswell was offered the job by Howard Greenhaf weeks ago and if they didn’t want me they should have told me a lot earlier.

“It’s frustrating because I turned down two jobs that have gone now because of my loyalty to the club.

“I’ve also sacrificed my football for the last year for the academy – I could have gone on loan to Cheltenham earlier this year but I turned it down because of the academy.

“I was willing to give up playing but now I’m looking at coaching jobs or the possibility of playing somewhere – whatever comes up.”

Greenhaf denies that Hatswell, who is now academy boss at Gillingham, was offered the job at County and says he’s sad to see Flynn go.

“Wayne didn’t get the assistant manager’s job and wanted to stay so we offered him an interview for academy manager,” he said.

“As for the interviews it was a football decision and I wasn’t involved.

“I hoped Flynny would get the job but the other candidates were more experienced.”