NEWPORT County AFC operational chairman Gavin Foxall hopes that Michael Flynn’s new contract will mean that the manager can achieve his ambition of winning promotion with his hometown club this season.

Flynn signed a new and improved deal, which runs until June 2022, earlier this month – shortly after he had been given permission to speak to League One Lincoln City.

Foxall and his fellow directors are overjoyed to have kept Flynn at Rodney Parade and the chairman is convinced that the club can seal promotion to League One this season.

“We’re delighted that Michael has agreed to sign a new deal to take him up to 2022,” said Foxall.

“He’s done a phenomenal job ever since he’s been at the club and we’ve had a great start again this season.

“It’s great for him as a hometown boy and hopefully we can meet his ambition.

“We’ve got a very open, honest and healthy relationship with him and it works for both parties. We think a lot of him and the job that he’s done.

“I’ve got no doubts in my mind that he will manage at a higher level, and we want that to be with us.

“That’s why we’ve done what we’ve done as a board and we’re delighted that that he’s agreed to stay.”

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County are currently fifth in League Two, just three points behind leaders Crewe Alexandra with a game in hand, and Foxall knows that Flynn will continue to be linked with bigger clubs.

“We can’t control what others say and the way that it works in football,” said the chairman.

“What we can do and what we have done is agree a deal with him that gives him the security that he deserves at this football club.

“If he is linked to other club in the future and he’s able to fulfil an ambition with a Championship club then it shows how good he’s doing and how good this football club is doing.

“If that is the case then it’s good for him and good for this club.

“But we want him to meet his ambition with this football club and hopefully that can happen this season.”

Asked how close Flynn came to leaving for Lincoln last month, Foxall said: “Our view is that we want to support him as much as we can and we want him to fulfil his ambition with this club.

“Were we worried about him going to Lincoln? We wouldn’t have wanted him to go to any other club, which is why we’ve acted in the way that we have.

“Hopefully that’s put that to bed, but there might be something else around the corner – we don’t know.

“But what we do know is that we’ve given Michael a deal that he’s happy with and we’re happy with as a club as well and hopefully that will help him fulfil his ambition and get us promoted this year.”

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