James Rowberry: Managing Newport County gives me goosebumps

After being formally unveiled as the new Newport County manager, James Rowberry expressed his delight and excitement in taking the reigns at Rodney Parade.

Newport is Rowberry's first venture into first-team, senior management and, by his own admission, there is no better place for the Newport-born man to start.

County is in the Rowberry family's blood as his grandfather Jimmy Jenkins and father Steve Jenkins are both former Newport players and Rowberry himself was a youth player at County, as well as previously having a spell in the Academy set up at the club.

"It gives me goosebumps thinking about being manager of the football club. It's a dream come true in many ways to start my managerial career at the club that I've got lots of connections to," Rowberry said on joining Newport.

"Being from Newport and living in Newport all my life, I am ecstatic to get going!"

While it may be Rowberry's first foray into senior management, his CV is still one to be reckoned with.

At the age of just 29, he became one of the youngest coaches to gain his UEFA Pro Licence after earning his Level One at the tender age of 16, his UEFA B at 19 and his A Licence at 22.

His time as Cardiff City's first-team coach also saw the Bluebirds promoted to the Premier League.

Rowberry continued: "It's quite unique for a football manager to come into a football club that's doing well at the minute on a playing front, Michael [Flynn] left on good terms and left a good squad behind and my working relationships with the staff are already there.

"I know the football club, I know how it operates and how it works so, for me, it's an amazing start to have an opportunity in my career but I'm under no illusions that I have to be successful so I've got to work as hard as I possibly can to push the club forward.

"I've always been ambitious and driven and I'm over the moon to be manager of this football club. 

"From a fans' point of view: if the football club is doing well then the city is thriving and I've got a responsibility to push that forward."