NEWPORT County AFC manager Graham Coughlan believes the permanent appointment as Chris Finn as head of football operations will help drive the club forward on and off the field.

Finn worked closely with the boss in the January transfer window and has been working with the Exiles on a consultancy basis.

He has previously worked with Nottingham Forest, Cardiff, Norwich, Middlesbrough and Birmingham and joined forces with Coughlan at Bristol Rovers.

Now Finn, from Bristol, is helping with the preparations for 2023/24 after County steered clear of a relegation battle in League Two.

The club are hoping to retain the core of their squad – with Mickey Demetriou, Cameron Norman, Priestley Farquharson, Aaron Lewis and Scot Bennett among those approaching the end of deals – and recruit with loanees Adam Lewis, Matt Baker, Charlie McNeill and Calum Kavanagh returning to their parent clubs.

South Wales Argus: Graham Coughlan and Joe DunneGraham Coughlan and Joe Dunne (Image: Huw Evans Agency)

“Chris is a great addition to the club,” said the manager. “He’s a proper football person with strong Championship credentials.

“It’s another step in the right direction for the club. He will work closely with Joe [Dunne, assistant manager] and me with a specific focus on recruitment.

“Chris will also act as the conduit between the first team and the board. Chris is an important addition to the club’s bank of experience, knowledge and expertise, which will only help push the football club forward”.

Finn added: “It’s an exciting challenge to come into the club and work with Graham and Joe, it’s a club with a great fanbase and a very positive future”.

County have had plenty of off-field change this season with Coughlan replacing James Rowberry as manager in October.

Sporting director Darren Kelly left in January and then joined Harlepool, who have been relegated to the National League.

Chairman Gavin Foxall and general manager Nigel Stephenson left for health reasons, director Kevin Ward stood down because of a conflict of interest after being promoted to chairman of Newport Live and head of safeguarding Kelly Anderson, who had been standing in for Stephenson, left last month.

Miami-based businessman Jon Pratt joined the board as a co-opted director and Gareth Evans has been appointed as club secretary.

Director Peter Madigan believes the appointment of Finn will help provide some stability as Coughlan and Dunne aim to continue the encouraging second half of the campaign.

He said: “We are delighted to welcome Chris to the club. Chris joined the club a couple of months ago on a consultancy basis and was instrumental in the signings we made during the last window.

“We are very pleased that he has agreed to join the club on a permanent basis.”

The appointment is a step towards aiming to solve what Coughlan believes are some historical issues at the club.

“I have inherited some problems that should never be taking place at a football club – I don’t know who was in charge or making these decisions over the last 18 months,” said the manager last month.

“I have a hell of a lot of work to do to tidy things up in the background because the football operations that I have inherited, and the football decisions that have been made, are not healthy.

“They are not conducive to a professional environment, they belong in non-league and I have got a lot of things to sift through.