NEWPORT County AFC youth development coach Mike Flynn was like a proud father watching teenager Regan Poole make his debut on Saturday and he wants to be on the pitch with him tonight.

Player/coach Flynn, an unused substitute at Shrewsbury, couldn’t hide his pride when discussing the highly impressive Football League bow of 16-year-old Poole or his desperation to get on the pitch himself.

Manager Justin Edinburgh has said that he will make changes for tonight’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy clash with Swindon Town at Rodney Parade.

And Flynn is expected to start alongside the likes of Yan Klukowski, Christian Jolley and Lenny Pidgeley.

“I better be playing, otherwise I’ll be banging his door down!” he said after watching the 0-0 draw at Greenhous Meadow.

“But I can’t complain too much because the boys have done brilliant.

“The performances and the results are coming now. A month ago we might have lost that game but we stood up to be counted and got a point against a team who will be there or thereabouts.

“I think I need some match fitness but the side is on an unbeaten run and the gaffer might not want that to go so we’ll see what he decides.”

Flynn was full of praise for Edinburgh in his handling of Poole and the inclusion of fellow academy product Aaron Collins on the bench on Saturday.

“The gaffer has to take a lot of credit for having the bravery to stick Regan in for a massive game away at one of the best sides in this division,” he said.

“Not a lot of managers would have had the guts to do it.

“And now everyone can see why myself and the gaffer think so highly of him because I don’t think he put a foot wrong.

“He couldn’t believe it when he was told he was starting,” he added. “I told him and Aaron to ring their dads straight away so they could get to the game.

“We sorted out some tickets for them and I saw them at the end of the game. They were the proudest people in the ground.

“I was nervous for Regan, because I wanted him to do well not because I doubted his ability, but straight away he settled.

“He was comfortable on the ball and he was even chucking in a few dummies after 20 minutes.

“That’s why I rate him so highly and why he’s been to Manchester United already.”