Padraig Amond joked the Newport County AFC players would ‘handcuff Michael Flynn to the Rodney Parade bench’ after the news he was staying as manager of the Club came hours before a 1-1 draw at Macclesfield Town.
Flynn himself admitted post-match that he still had a job to complete with the Exiles and they stayed up close to the top of the table with a more than deserved draw against the Silkmen in Cheshire.
Amond bagged his fifth goal of the campaign with a predatory finish inside 50 seconds, but Emmanuel Osadebe expertly converted a chip midway through the half to ensure the spoils - and the ‘SaveOurShirt Unsponsored Trophy’ - were shared.
Here, read everything Amond exclusively told iFollow Exiles following the conclusion of the contest…
On the draw with Macclesfield Town…
"A point is important after Saturday because it was important that we bounced back quickly with something.
"We made a really good start but then it’s really frustrating to concede the goal we did because we’ve had a look at it and it’s offside. That’s the frustrating thing.
"It was a good, solid performance and we needed to bounce back because Saturday was a really disappointing performance.
"I’d like to say a draw was a fair result but when the only goal they score was offside, it’s hard to say that. The important thing is we didn’t lose the game which means it’s a positive away result and performance.
"We just move onto the weekend now."
On netting his fifth goal of the campaign…
"Obviously pleasing to score and stuff like that but you want to win the game.
"The goal is more important because it contributed to the team getting a result [as opposed to being the fifth of the campaign].
"I’ve hit the first little milestone now and it’s onto the next one now to see how many I can get for the season."
On Michael Flynn’s decision to stay as manager…
"We were thrilled. It was really good of him to tell us on Monday [in a team meeting].
"We’ve had a bit of banter about it as well and that’s the way we work at this football club, we are a really close bunch, staff included.
"We have to be like that because quite a lot goes against us at times and we have to stick together. If we can stick together, we’ll hopefully be a force to be reckoned with this season and we’ll see where it takes us.
"No one wanted him to go, the players didn’t want to lose him which is selfish of us because it’s his career as well.
"It’s a weird one because we want him to do the best he can do but at the same time we don’t want to lose him. We’ll keep handcuffs on him and cuff him to the bench at Rodney Parade and hopefully we can have him for a long, long time and be successful together, players and staff.
"It’s massive that the gaffer is staying but we want to move on now to the weekend and use that news as a positive little spin for ourselves to get us going again."
On hosting early pacesetters Exeter City on Saturday…
"We want another statement result. Exeter are a really good side, recruited well over the summer and got a very good manager there as well.
"But look, we’re a really good side, we recruited well over the summer and we’ve got a good young manager.
"We’re two very evenly matched teams and it’s up to us to put in a performance. Hopefully the crowd will make a big difference on the weekend.
"It doesn’t matter who is top of the table, anyone can beat anyone in League Two and that’s been proven throughout the years – there’s always shocks every weekend.
"We don’t take any notice of that, it’s just another to tick off as a scalp if we can win the game."
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