Brennan back with lessons learned

Newport County’s Ciaran Brennan returns from a three match ban for Tuesday’s League Two home game with Salford City.

And head coach Nelson Jardim not only believes the 24-year-old has learned the lessons of his red card but has also revealed he is seen as a future captain of the club.

Former Sheffield Wednesday defender Brennan was given his marching orders in the 4-1 home defeat by Port Vale in a game which finished with Newport fielding just nine men, as Kyle Jameson was also dismissed later for two yellow cards.

Republic of Ireland under-19 player Brennan saw red after kicking out during an off the ball incident with Port Vale skipper Ben Garrity.

Jardim has watched the skirmish with Brennan and said: “It was an experienced player, playing a bit with a young player learning the game. He [Brennan] got carried away with that situation.

“But he did learn and obviously it is always a moment when you have to accept that things can go wrong. If you are not focussed, if you are not in that task and if you get too emotional, things can go wrong.”

Brennan, who has had loan spells at Notts County, Swindon and Hartlepool, has played in a holding midfield role and in the backline for Newport.

His hunger for the task and desire to receive the ball and be a part of the game has shone through in his performances and those attributes have not been lost on Jardim.

Indeed the Newport head coach believes Brennan has already shown leadership qualities on the field.

Jardim said: “I played him in a couple of positions to get to know him better. But he is a leader, he has that.

“ He leads, not only in the game but in training as well. He has that in him. We see him as someone who can actually be one of the captains for this club.”

Meanwhile Newport will be hoping current team captain Aaron Wildig will be available for the game after suffering a back spasm in Saturday’s win over Crewe Alexandra.

Wildig, who has netted three goals this season, was substituted after 73 minutes against Crewe and will be assessed.

But if Wildig is passed fit, the return of Brennan will leave Jardim with the enviable selection dilemma of whether to change the starting line-up against Salford, having seen his side end a run of three consecutive league defeats with the win over Crewe.