MANAGER Michael Flynn has denied rumours that Newport County AFC playmaker Josh Sheehan is set for a Rodney Parade exit.

The 25-year-old midfielder captained the Exiles to a Carabao Cup win against Cambridge United on Tuesday evening that earned a round three home tie against Watford.

Sheehan has established himself as one of League Two’s top players and has been in influential form at the start of the season, pulling the strings from a deep role.

Rumours on the internet had linked the west Walian, who signed a two-year contract in 2019, with a step up to League One with Bristol Rovers but his boss denied a move is in the pipeline.

Free Press Series: INFLUENTIAL: Newport midfielder Josh SheehanINFLUENTIAL: Newport midfielder Josh Sheehan

“He is not going,” said Flynn. “He was my captain against Cambridge and there has been no contact that I know of.

“He is a good footballer and that was the reason why I wanted to bring him here. He is playing really well but so are a lot of others.

“I thought Robbie (Willmott) complemented him excellently on Tuesday. He was superb and just sat in there, keeping the ball moving and did a lot of the dirty, horrible work and was always covering.

“It was a very, very good team performance. Every single one of them was excellent.”

Flynn denied that Sheehan is heading for the exit and hopes there will be incoming players before the October 5 deadline.

“There will be one or two more that we can squeeze through the door, hopefully,” said the manager.

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That would add to the Exiles’ competition for places after an encouraging start to the campaign that Flynn believes should have been a perfect one of four from four.

County started by stunning Swansea in the Carabao Cup, were edged out by Cheltenham Town in the EFL Trophy, held by Scunthorpe in League Two then beat Cambridge.

“We were excellent from start to finish,” said Flynn about the 1-0 win over the U’s that was earned by Scott Twine’s thumping strike. “The only disappointing thing was the amount of chances that we missed.

“We created chance after chance, we had 13 corners, 28 attempts at goal and over 70 per cent possession.

“That’s unheard of for us, so I am delighted because it was an outstanding performance and it was a goal deserving of the win.

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“Scott was excellent all night with his unselfish runs, finding little pockets and his work rate in tracking back when he needed to.

“He was a constant menace and I was delighted for him because it’s always nice to get off the mark when you go to a new club. He is a young lad with bits to improve on but I am sure he will because he wants to work hard.”

County have the bread and butter of the league before they face the Hornets and next up is a home clash with EFL new boys Barrow.

The National League champions head to Rodney Parade for the first time since they stunned the Exiles in January 2013, when home fans had cleared snow from the pitch to help Justin Edinburgh’s team in their bid to go top of the Conference against the team at the bottom.

“It’s going to be a tough game. Barrow have come up, are full of confidence and have some really good players," said Flynn, who started in midfield in that clash seven years ago.

“I don’t think for one minute that it’s going to be an easy game; I remember the last time Barrow came here and they thought it was going to be an easy game.

“We did everything we could to get the game on, and they went and beat us. They were bottom and we were going for the league in the year we went up from the Conference, so I am not getting carried away at all.”