NEW manager Terry Butcher is certain that he is the man to lead Newport County AFC to glory, promising his side will play with “steel and style” as they aim for promotion to League One.

The former England captain, who won 77 caps for the Three Lions, was officially unveiled at Rodney Parade today after penning a two-year contract to replace Jimmy Dack as Exiles boss.

Butcher will watch from the stands tomorrow as Dack takes charge for the final time against Oxford United before starting his mission to recreate the success he enjoyed as manager of Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the Scottish Premier League.

“I don’t see myself as just a manager, I see myself as a leader,” said the former Inverness, Hibernian and Motherwell manager.

“There are followers and leaders in football and I’m a leader.

“As manager of the football club you lead and people hopefully follow.

“It’s a tough league and you’ve got to be prepared to fight and scrap.

“But there will be style as well. We used to say at Inverness it was steel and style.

“And if we can get the team right next season then we can go on from strength to strength,” he added.

“Who knows how far the club can go?

“When I went to Inverness in 2009 I didn’t expect to be second in the league when I left and getting to cup finals.”

The Argus understands that Butcher wants to make his chief scout Steve Marsella part of his management team but is open to retaining the services of coach Wayne Hatswell and strength and conditioning man Tony James.

He will meet with Dack to discuss the playing staff and, after a short break, will be back in Newport to complete the retained list in just over two weeks.

“I’m delighted to be here and I’m excited by the challenge,” said the man who won the UEFA Cup with Ipswich Town, lifted a host of trophies at Rangers and led England to the World Cup semi-final in 1990 in a highly decorated playing career.

“I spent ten months without a job and the phone goes a bit quiet. You miss the buzz.

“I’ve managed a lot of clubs, some good and some bad. I’ve learned a lot of lessons and I want to bring all those experiences that I’ve had to the club.

“I hope to become an honorary Welshman like I was an honorary Scotsman but it’s not about Wales or Scotland or England, it’s about this club doing well.

“It’s about the fans being proud of their club, which I’m sure they are already.

“To the supporters I’d say get behind the team like they have done and let’s see where we can go.”