NEWPORT County new boy Jonathan Coates believes Peter Nicholas' new-look side will be challenging for promotion to Nation-wide Conference Nat-ional next season.

The former Swansea midfielder looked the part in County's opening pre-season fixture against Bristol City is itching for the new campaign to get underway.

Coates, who has been capped at Wales B and Under 21 level, said: "I cannot wait for the first game.

Pre-season matches don't really matter, it's more about fitness, but things are already starting to look good.

"There seems to be a great mixture of young players plus experienced lads coming in, so we will be looking to have a good season and make a challenge.

"We have a tough start with Havant and then Weymouth so we will know how good we are right away."

The 29-year-old admitted that he was relieved to find a club after some uncertainty about were he would end up after spells with Cheltenham and Woking after making over 250 appearances at the Vetch Field.

He said: "It was a bit of a relief because there are so many players on the scrap-heap these days. The money has gone out of the game and players are now just thankful to get a club.

"But when Peter Nicholas came in for me I jumped at the chance. I knew Peter from our time at the Vetch and, of course Roger Freestone and I also know a lot of the Cardiff boys."

So is Coates concerned about not landing a deal with a Football League club, given his Swansea

experience? Not in the slightest, as he revealed: "People have said to me that I must be disappointed in not getting a league club but that is really not the case.

"I am at a stage in my career when I want to enjoy my football and I will get that at Newport. They are a great bunch of lads and the club have a lot of ambition.

"There is talk of full-time football in the near future and you can see by some the players coming in, the club are trying to step up.

"It is always good to go to a club who are on their way up rather than one on the slide."

Coates will be in action tonight as County travel to face Abergavenny Thursdays (kick-off 6.30pm) and boss Peter Nicholas confirmed that former Cardiff skipper Scott Young will make his first appearance in an amber shirt, with a view to signing a permanent deal this week.

Another notable member of the first team squad will be young defender Andrew Thomas, who is set to return after being out since January with a horror leg-break.