NEWPORT County AFC manager Jimmy Dack says he will not be afraid to give youth a chance at the business end of the season.

Wales under-17s star Regan Poole looks set to keep his place in the starting XI for tomorrow’s home clash with promotion rivals Bury at Rodney Parade.

Forward Aaron Collins, who was this week called up to the Wales under-19s squad, has also featured on the bench in recent weeks alongside fellow youngsters Joe Parker and Kieran Parselle.

That quartet, as well as striker Tom Owen-Evans, have a big future with the Exiles according to Dack and he would have no concerns about picking any of them to play a part in the play-off push.

“I want to start integrating the likes of Aaron Collins, Joe Parker, Regan Poole and Tom Owen-Evans,” said the manager.

“They train with us all the time and, depending on how we’re doing towards the run-in, I would like to give them some minutes and integrate them towards next year.

“As we all know we have got some good young lads here and that’s the route we’re going to be going down next year.

“We’re going to have to go a little bit younger and get hungry players mixed in with the experienced players. We think that’s the way forward for Newport County.

“If I had fear in playing them then there’s no point in having them around,” he added.

“I trust them and if they’re going to be in the group and train with us and push on for next season then you’ve got to trust them.

“The better ones will learn from their mistakes but if you don’t get a chance to learn from your mistakes then you’re not going to get better.

“That’s how I see it. We’ve played Regan and we haven’t got a problem with that.”

Dack believes it is a lot easier for young players to be introduced into the first team than when he was starting out in the late 1980s.

“We have a really good group of players here and it is very daunting coming into a football club as a young man but not here,” he said.

“The players make you feel welcome and guide you in the right direction. If I was a young man coming in now I would be happy.

“It’s very different to when I was a young player. It was brutal then and the older players were ruthless but here our experienced players give you a chance to get a foot in the door.”