NEWPORT County AFC have announced a new structure for the club’s academy as they prepare to be reassessed by the Football League.

The club’s youth set-up was initially looked at back in September as they aimed to obtain category four status under the Elite Player Performance Plan youth development scheme.

County did not meet all the requirements for a category four funded academy, however, and the club will undergo a second audit in April.

In preparation for this Kevin Waterhouse, previously head of operations and recruitment, is now academy manager and will report to the board of directors on all academy issues.

First team player Mike Flynn is head of youth development and is responsible for liaising between the first team, development team and youth team.

Danny Elliott is promoted to academy head of coaching and Declan Flanagan joins as full-time academy coach.

Byron Anthony, who was forced to retire this season due to injury, joins the coaching team to run the under-16s and assist with the youth squad.

First team midfielders Max Porter and Lee Minshull are also coaching the club’s under-15s and under-14s sides respectively.

Waterhouse is confident that the Exiles will be able to satisfy the Football League requirements and attain category four status.

“With Regan Poole, Aaron Collins and Tom Owen-Evans now regularly involved with the first team and others training [with the first team] on a regular basis the grass roots of the club are looking very healthy,” said Waterhouse.

“Results in the youth league have not gone the way we would have hoped but we think the progression on the youth players is a far more telling measure.

“Without a doubt this season has been a great success and the support from the first team staff, players and club has been outstanding.

“The new structure will enable us to get through the Football League EPPP category four audit where organisation charts and processes seem to be far more important than boys progressing to the first team.

“The amount of seemingly meaningless administration detracts from the on the grass coaching and personal development but without the funding and support from the Football League we would have no academy.

“We think we are well positioned to complement the ambitions of the club and see a very bright future if we can satisfy the EPPP criteria in the April audit.”

The County under-18s were beaten 4-1 at home by Torquay United today.