NEWPORT County AFC academy manager Jorden Gibson is confident that he and his coaches will be able to produce players good enough to progress to the first team and to make the club money in the transfer market.

Gibson, who previously worked in various roles at League Two rivals Stevenage, was appointed this summer and started work with County on July 1.

Since then, the UEFA A license coach has overseen five friendly matches for the under-18s.

The Young Exiles have recorded victories over senior sides Moreton Rangers and Undy AFC and several youngsters featured for the first team in Wednesday’s win over League One club Shrewsbury Town.

“The boys have done well,” said Gibson. “They’ve really come on, in terms of wanting to change.

“There’s a different feel to it for them because, obviously, someone new coming in will want to change things.

“They’ve really adapted well to that and worked really hard in training and matches so I’m pretty happy with them.

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“It’s been manic,” he added. “We’re a little bit short-staffed. We’re interviewing for the PDP – Professional Development Phase – coach.

“And we’re also looking for a head of coaching who will come in and look after the football side with me and work really closely with the coaches.

“I think once they come in it will take a lot of the work off the lads who were here last year, who have been outstanding.

“I’m really pleased with the staff we have here and there’s a nice feel to it.

“Don’t get me wrong, it’s been tough and there’s things we’ve had to change quickly but I’m a Stevenage boy and I’ve come here because I wanted to make change and it’s starting to show, I think.”

Ryan Hillier, Dom Jefferies, Elis Watts and Sioni Benham all made substitute appearances against Shrewsbury.

And Gibson is confident that there will be some who follow in the footsteps of recent academy graduates Lewis Collins, Jay Foulston and Momodou Touray.

“I’ve got two aims – to produce players for the first team, which would be brilliant for me, and to produce a player that we could maybe generate some revenue from,” he said.

“We’ve got some players that we believe will be either first team players or we can move on to a higher calibre of club and maybe generate a little bit of revenue, so that’s the aim.

“I think it would be unfair to single any out, but I think there are certain lads who will do it eventually and it’s just a case of waiting to see because we’ve got some talent here.”