JIMMY DACK admits he felt the need to leave Newport because the club needs “freshening up.”

The former assistant to ex-boss Justin Edinburgh will depart Rodney Parade on Saturday after almost four years at the club.

“I just feel that I have taken it as far as I can, that is probably it in a nutshell,” he told Argus Sport.

“We have worked tirelessly hard behind the scenes and I just feel that four years at a club, giving your all, I feel now it’s time for a freshen up for the football club and for myself.

“Don’t think there is anything more in it than that, I think the club maybe needs some new ideas now.

“I don’t know what the average lifespan of a management team is, but I believe it is about a year-and-a-half.

“I’m part of a management team that has had four years here and yes you need continuity, but you also need a little bit of freshness as well.

“If I am honest with you, for the club to stride and kick on again, they may need that (freshness).

“I’ve been honest with them and myself and hopefully somewhere along the lines something may come along for me and give me that spark back again. Because I think football clubs need that.”

Dack insists it isn’t a case of jumping rather than being pushed, or worrying that things wouldn’t have turned out well next term.

“I don’t have feelings of this being the ‘better’ way to depart, by it being my own decision, because if I had stayed I would have backed myself that I wouldn’t be walking out the back door with my tail between my legs. I’ve always been quite successful in management teams, so it wasn’t that at all,” he said.

“I do have a good rapport with the supporters, well, 99% of them anyway, there is always 1% that doesn’t like me or agree with what I do, but I have a great relationship with them.

“And I want to walk out of the front door with my head held high knowing that I am part of their history and I can live with myself with that.

“I feel it’s just a good time to pass the baton on and give someone else an opportunity.”

Dack can pinpoint exactly the moment he had a change of heart, having initially indicated he did want the role on a permanent basis.

“I decided probably around the time of the Dagenham and Redbridge game that I didn’t want to carry on,” he said.