JUSTIN Edinburgh knows he needs to keep Newport County AFC on the up or risk losing his job, writes Andrew Penman.

In the week he became one of the top ten longest serving managers in the Football League the Exiles boss says he wants to carry on rising up that chart but he won’t take anything for granted.

“It was a funny week,” said Edinburgh. “Obviously Paul Cox left Mansfield and Mark Yates has left Cheltenham.

“I think both of them would have been in the top-ten quite comfortably so it leaves me as the third longest-serving manager in the division after Paul Tisdale and Jim Bentley.

“I’ve always said I enjoy coming to work here. I enjoy working with this group of players and the board of directors and the fans – everyone connected with the football club.

“I feel there is a lot more to accomplish here and while that’s the case I’m more than happy to hopefully continue to work my way up the charts and be here for a long period of time.

“There’s always pressure to deliver – it doesn’t matter if you’ve been in the job for a week, a month or years,” he added.

“If you deliver you’ll keep your job but I know it’s a results business and if you don’t deliver you’re never safe.”

Edinburgh, whose side are two points off the play-offs, is expecting a tough test at Carlisle today despite the hosts languishing in 22nd place.

“Obviously the play-off places are in our sights and we’re looking up the table,” he said.

“To be in the position we are now after our slow start is testament to the group and the belief that we have.

“We will also look below us and know that we are 15 or 16 points off the bottom two and we are still evolving as a football club.

“But I think with the run we’re on we’ve got to be looking upwards and we go into every game wanting to win it.”

He added: “People on the outside looking in might think we should go to Carlisle and win but the four wins they’ve had have all come at home and I think Keith Curle is unbeaten at home.

“We’ll be buoyed by our last three or four away performances and anyone looking at league positions would expect us to win.

“But we’re fully aware that it will be tough and we’ll need to be at our best to get another good result.”