THE stories linking Michael Flynn with the vacant managerial post at League One Shrewsbury Town are not going away, but should Newport County AFC fans be worried?

Flynn has so far declined, in public at least, to rule himself out of a move to Shropshire and has admitted that he’s flattered by the rumours.

The Exiles boss chose his words carefully when questioned about the link before and after Saturday’s impressive win over Colchester United at Rodney Parade.

“It is flattering if you’re linked to a job at a higher level,” he said at Friday's pre-match press conference.

“It goes to show how well we’re doing, myself and my staff, and the players – they’re the ones who go out and do the business on a Saturday and it’s credit to them as well.”

He continued: “I’m not going to sit here and say I’m going to stay at Newport for the rest of my life. I want to manage in the Premier League.

“People might say I’m getting ahead of myself but if you don’t have plans and dreams then you’re probably in the wrong industry.

“I’ve got a dream to manage in the Premier League and this is my first step on the way to getting there.”

And, while Shrewsbury may not be a massive step up from Newport, a move to the New Meadow would in theory take him a little closer to realising that top flight dream.

They may be struggling at the wrong end of League One right now, but they were only denied a place in the Championship by an extra-time winner in last season’s Wembley play-off final.

And this is a club with better facilities and more resources than the Exiles are likely to be able to offer for the foreseeable future.

But there is undoubtedly a very strong emotional connection between Flynn and his hometown club that goes a long way.

And, while he clearly won’t be at Rodney Parade forever, you can’t help but feel he would have a lot of unfinished business with County if he was to move on at this point.

Flynn has been clear in recent weeks that he believes that the squad he has assembled this year is capable of achieving “something special” between now and May.

And it was perhaps telling that he took the opportunity to put a little pressure on the board of directors to really back a plausible promotion push by strengthening the squad again in January.

“I’m ambitious and thankfully the board have said they will back me in January,” said Flynn on Friday.

“The board have been very helpful with the Joss Labadie deal and I know they’ll back me in January.”

Those inside the County boardroom are confident that they will not be looking for a new manager before the end of the season.

And on Saturday Flynn again reiterated that there has been no contact from the Shrews.

“I’m just carrying on and doing my job,” he said. “If an approach goes in then it’s up to the club to deal with that.

“But I genuinely haven’t heard anything so it’s business as usual for me.”

The longer this saga drags on the bigger the danger of it becoming a distraction and potentially derailing what is shaping up to be a memorable season for County.

Third in the league after 18 games and with tasty FA Cup and Checkatrade Trophy ties coming up against Wrexham and Cheltenham Town – it will take a good offer for Flynn to leave all that behind at this stage of his fledgling managerial career.