County in for Mike Flynn (From South Wales Argus)

County in for Mike Flynn

8:00am Monday 23rd July 2012 in Newport County Exclusive By Michael Pearlman

NEWPORT County boss Justin Edinburgh is hopeful of completing a double transfer coup within the next 48 hours, including the return of the prodigal son.

The Exiles boss will swoop to be reunited with striker Aaron O’Connor and is also closing in on the capture of long-term target Mike Flynn.

Flynn, born and bred in Newport and who started his career with the Exiles, is a free agent following his decision to leave Bradford City. The 31-year old has spent the past decade in the Football League with the likes of Wigan, Gillingham and Blackpool and has been pursued by County for two years as he remains a close friend of County’s director of football Tim Harris.

Flynn went with Gillingham to France on a pre-season tour last week but the Argus can reveal the dynamic goalscoring midfielder was in talks with County during that time.

O’Connor, 28, will sign with Newport today and be reunited for a third time with Edinburgh, who managed him at both Grays Athletic and Rushden and Diamonds.

The Luton Town player had a one-in-three goal ratio for Edinburgh who also made him captain at Rushden, and he’s been selected by the County manager from a short shortlist of potential targets.

Edinburgh explained: “We are close with both, ideally we’d love to have them in by tomorrow (when County face Bristol Rovers at Rodney Parade).

“The boy O’Connor has agreed to come and Tim is working on tying up the loose ends and I am hoping Flynny will be coming as well.

“This club is moving into a new ground and it’s a new era if you like, and Mike Flynn is exactly the kind of figure we feel can really show we mean business.

“He’s still a terrific player and if he signs it’ll be because he has the club in his heart, not because he couldn’t get a better deal elsewhere, because he most definitely could.”

Edinburgh is also likely to offer young goalkeeper Joe Perry, son of ex-County defender and BBC pundit Jason, a one-year deal to provide competition for Alan Julian who is currently sidelined by a cruciate knee ligament injury.