JAMES Rowberry’s first pre-season as Newport County AFC manager will see the Exiles travel to his former side.

County have announced they will be playing Cardiff City in a pre-season friendly in the capital on Tuesday, July 12.

The match will be played at the Cardiff International Sports Stadium, after the Bluebirds confirmed that the Cardiff City Stadium will be unavailable as the pitch is prepared for next season following Wales’ Nations League fixtures and the all important World Cup Play-Off in June.

As well as the boss, new signing Sam Bowen will be looking to impress after becoming County's first summer signing - joining from Cardiff for an undisclosed fee.

Kick off will be at 6.30pm, and will be played as two 60-minute games.

The match is the fifth to be confirmed for the Exiles’ pre-season preparations.

The first fixture will be a trip to Undy AFC on July 1, followed by a behind-closed-doors game against Hungerford Town on July 9.

Preparations will then step up with three away games, as County travel to Cardiff on Tuesday, July 12 and then Weston-Super-Mare and Torquay United back-to-back on the Friday and Saturday of that week.

There will be a final behind-closed-doors friendly on July 23, although the opposition is yet to be announced.

The League Two season then kicks off on the weekend of Saturday, July 30.

Ticket details for the pre-season fixtures against Undy FC, Cardiff City, Weston-Super-Mare FC and Torquay United will be announced by the club in due course.

Newport County AFC's pre-season fixtures

July 1: Undy AFC (A) – 7pm

July 9: Hungerford Town (H, Dragon Park) – 2pm (Behind Closed Doors)

July 12: Cardiff City (A) – 7pm

July 15: Weston-Super-Mare (A) – 7.30pm

July 16: Torquay United (A) – 3pm

July 23: TBC – 3pm (Behind Closed Doors)