Newport County appoint former EFL player turned ex-Bristol Rovers and Mansfield manager Graham Coughlan, replacing James Rowberry.
The Exiles made the announcement on Thursday lunchtime with the new boss set to be in the dugout for Saturday’s huge League Two clash with fellow strugglers Colchester at Rodney Parade.
He was most recently joint manager of Sheffield United U23 with Darren Currie.
Coughlan started his playing career in his native Ireland with Bray Wanderers, before being signed by Blackburn Rovers.
He joined Livingston in 1999 and his performances for the Scottish club led to a transfer to Plymouth Argyle two years later.
He was an integral member of the squad that won two EFL divisional championships between 2002 and 2004, and was a favourite among supporters for his uncompromising style of play at the heart of their defence.
Coughlan joined Sheffield Wednesday in 2005, before dropping down to League Two to play for Rotherham United.
He moved on to Shrewsbury Town a year later and combined playing duties with coaching their young players. He signed for Southend United in July 2010.
In 2018, Coughlan joined Bristol Rovers as a defensive coach before being appointed caretaker manager following the departure of Darrell Clarke and Marcus Stewart.
In January 2019, he was appointed on a permanent basis after picking up ten points from a possible fifteen over the course of his caretaker spell with the club sitting 19th in League One, only sitting above the relegation zone on goal difference.
With the signing of Jonson Clarke-Harris, Rovers saw an upturn of their fortunes and secured their League One status in the penultimate match after a 0–0 draw at Fleetwood Town.
Having been involved in a relegation battle the previous season, Coughlan’s upturn of fortunes at the club continued into the start of the 2019–20 season.
A 1–0 win over Milton Keynes Dons in October saw his side go into the playoff positions for the first time in the season and returned to these play-off positions in December when they produced a comeback victory to defeat Coughlan’s former side Southend United 4–2.
Rovers climbed to fourth the following Saturday when they won 2–1 away at Ipswich Town, a result overshadowed by the post-match speculation regarding Coughlan’s position as manager with rumours he was looking to leave the club.
Two days later, Rovers issued a statement to confirm that the club had allowed Coughlan to speak to Mansfield Town after two previous approaches that had been rejected.
On the 17th of December 2019, Coughlan decided to accept an offer to become new manager of League Two Mansfield Town. It was reported that it was family reasons that he left, his family being based in South Yorkshire.
On the 28th of October 2020, Mansfield Town confirmed they had parted ways with Coughlan, after a poor start to the season and less than a year later, he joined Sheffield United U23 as a coach until the end of the season, along with Darren Currie.
𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚: Newport County AFC are delighted to announce the appointment of 𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗛𝗔𝗠 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗟𝗔𝗡 as our first-team manager on a contract until 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱!#NCAFC🧡🖤https://t.co/NsgVPHHhdJ pic.twitter.com/BStmt3Mi8l
— Newport County AFC (@NewportCounty) October 20, 2022
Graham Coughlan as our new first-team manager on a two-and-a-half-year deal.
Graham began his managerial career at League One Bristol Rovers in 2018, initially as caretaker, with Rovers in the League One relegation zone in December when he took charge.
During his caretaker spell, Graham earned 10 points from a possible 15 which lifted his team out of the bottom four and led to him being given the job on a permanent basis, and he guided Rovers to safety with a 15th-place finish.
Bristol Rovers started the 2019-20 season well under Coughlan’s tutelage, rising to 4th after a 2-1 win at Ipswich in what was Graham’s final game in charge of the Gas.
He then joined Mansfield in December 2019 and led the Stags to League Two safety at the conclusion of the 2019-20 campaign.
Graham also spent some of last season as a coach at Sheffield United’s Under-23s before his return to first-team management with Newport County.
Graham will be formally introduced as our new manager in a press conference today at midday.
Welcome to Newport, Graham!
This is what fans said as Newport County appoint the former EFL player turned ex-Bristol Rovers and Mansfield manager…
@AaronNCAFC_: LETS GOOO
@DanMTFC: Only place you’re going is the conference with him in charge mate
@JaydenDwyer15: Welcome 🖤🧡
@caitlinjjwebb: I’m scared for this season. Hope he proves me wrong
@kieronelliott20: Not 100% keen on this appointment but doesn’t mean I won’t support and get behind the manager, hope it all works out
@Ryan_Russell__: Welcome to the club 👏🏻
@jvanderbeeck: Best of luck to the new gaffer, hopefully he has the skill set to turn our season around 🟠⚫️
@Chipstead_Gas: Long way from his wife’s cooked meals
@markhealey73: Haven’t done much in the passed . I would of preferred Hasselbaink or Artell even Cooper. Hope he proves me wrong.
@_mattsimpsonn: He’s not the most popular with our fans and the football was pretty terrible to watch, but in fairness he kept us in League 1 and then started to push on the season after. Signed JCH too. Probably a decent appointment.
@davidmorgan359: Welcome Graham…..🧡
@ryhodge_: Newport in the mud….
@mtfcharry_: Oh dear dear dear you have the worst manager in the league then
@KellanFanOfFan: Ahahahhaah oh my …. Worst manager in our history didn’t win a game in the lockdown season with his own team. Good luck
@arron_mather: How is this guy still getting a job in football
@darrell_ben: May as well get ready for the national league 😂
@shrimpersaway: Always a popular figure at Southend as both player and assistant manager. Really hope he does well for you.
@IrishGas1883: Was always a gentleman when we met, wishing you all the best #irishgas #manageredition
@ZackAllsop: I feel bad for you lot over in Newport we play you Tuesday and half expecting a massive win 4-0 his tactics are terrible
@SerenOrmond: looks very happy in that photo he does 😭😭
@davidarberry98: Back to those microwaveable meals then 🤣
@brfctom: His mrs is fuming
@LloydJohnMoore1: Lets get behind him! Welcome to the club Graham! UTC 🧡🖤
@GeorgeButler__: 😂😂😂 long journey from Sheffield every day that eh
@gingelawrence: Welcome Graham 💛🖤 let’s all get behind the guy and start fighting. To the idiots posting “we’re getting relegated” get a grip and if you’re that miserable over it stay at home. You have to give everyone a chance and your full support not just write them off
@CymruOllie: Hearing mixed reviews about this but he’s the gaffer so he’s got my support. Big game on Saturday but we’re capable of turning this around. Croeso Graham ⚫🟠
@Ryann_BRFC_95: That’s Newport fucked then – watch attendances plummet whilst Newport play a back eight 😂
@CashmereKnits: Not my first choice, but let’s get behind him and see what happens. UTC 🔶⬛️
@edward_w97: Decent group at his disposal. Needs to do decent things with them.
@DanielNCFC15: This don’t look good for us another cheap option
@liam5jones: Not really pleased, but going to back him. UTC 💪🏼
https://t.co/inJ220QLwi pic.twitter.com/xdeTuDbHGQ
— David (@di1cox) October 20, 2022

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