Newport County: Sporting director Darren Kelly aims to recruit new boss quickly

Former Carlisle United and York City player Darren Kelly was appointed as Newport County's first sporting director in 2021

Newport County hope to appoint a new manager in time for their League Two home game with Colchester on Saturday, 22 October.

The League Two club dismissed James Rowberry and assistant Carl Serrant on Monday.

Sporting director Darren Kelly will take charge of the team at bottom club Crawley this weekend.

Kelly is also leading the search for a replacement and is keen to have a new boss in place quickly.

He said: "The board have asked me just to take Crawley and then it will be viewed from there.

"I am working behind the scenes. We have been receiving applications and it is something we will be working at over the weekend and early next week. Hopefully we can have an appointment in as soon as possible.

"But it is not going to be a rushed appointment. There is a lot of detail which goes into these processes which we have been on with and hopefully we can get the right person in soon."

Kelly, who has managed at Oldham, Halifax and Hyde added: "I wouldn't say we have people lined up but we have a list of potential managers.

"We are also still receiving CVs. You have to be on the pulse, that is what I have been doing and the board as well.

"Everybody has been proactive in trying to fix the situation as best we can. So I am speaking to a lot of people and potential candidates.

"We will always act in a very professional manner and make sure we are doing everything right.

"Hopefully over the next couple of days we can get somewhere which can take us to the next step and conclude an appointment."

Kelly also led the recruitment process which led to Rowberry's appointment a year ago, but said his position had not come under scrutiny.

"It can be looked at and rightly so, especially with the fact that I worked closely with James. But there is a lot more to the role.

"If the board felt the need to have that conversation that's football. Football is that way and you have to accept that. I go from day to day and all I can effectively continue to do is give my all absolute all every day.

"There is the first team side of it, the academy, the development team, the medical side of it. So there is a wider remit to my role.

"When the situation happened with James a part of me also thought about myself. I have a great relationship with the board and nothing has been said to me in that regard.

"They see the the work ethic I have and the work I do, in trying to make the football club a better place."

Kelly added he would have no hesitation in recommending Rowberry for a future managerial role and was sure he would "bounce back."

"When we went through the process James was the stand-out candidate, there is absolutely no doubt about that.

"He had links to the club as well, when that process was happening James' thoroughness and attention to detail was brilliant.

"With football it comes down to results."