NEWPORT County AFC will be hoping for a seaside double on Saturday, with the first team down south and the youngsters up north.
The Exiles’ seniors continue their preparations for the League Two campaign with a friendly against Barry Town United of the Cymru Premier (kick-off 2.30pm).
That fixture at Jenner Park is a tune-up but it’s competitive football when the academy prospects travel to Llandudno, of Cymru North, in the first round of the Nathaniel MG Cup (kick-off 5pm).
County have entered the competition as a wildcard and have been placed in the northern section, with the winners of the tie going on to host Penrhyncoch or Guilsfield on the weekend of August 2 (at USW Sports Park if it's Newport at home).
The under-18s squad will head to Maesdu Park with centre-back Nelson Sanca and midfielder Jac Norris, teenagers who featured in the League Two run-in and now on professional contracts, likely to join them.
“We think it’s a great opportunity,” said academy manager Luke Hussey. “We have looked to have that bridge between academy and first team, and a good competition like this provides that.
“It’s going to be a really valuable experience for them because one of the problems that we have got here is that we can’t send our scholars out on loan [something the FAW are trying to change as part of a Cymru Premier revamp].
“That means they never get to experience men’s football, that winning mentality and different environments as part of their scholarship.
“This is a really good chance to play against men in a really important competition, feeling that pressure that you can’t recreate in an academy fixture. It will be a stiff challenge but a great experience for the lads.”
County have entered the northern section while Swansea, Cardiff and Merthyr are in the south.
Hussey sees extra benefit in that despite the 360-mile trip to Llandudno and back in one day.
“We’ve discussed this and if you want to become a Football League player then travel is part of it, and our under-18s programme doesn’t really afford us many long-distance journeys,” said the academy boss.
“We see this as good holistic development for the players – the prep, the travel, the opposition we will be up against.”
It is a new era for the Exiles with Nelson Jardim now in charge of the first team after the departure of manager Graham Coughlan.
The former Swansea coach is tasked with starting the move towards a possession-based style that will run through the club.
“Nelson is a really good coach and we have connected really well and really early with him,” said Hussey.
“We have spent time watching their sessions and Nelson and Daf [Williams, first team coach] are sharing a lot of information and the style of play will be synchronised.
“It’s a positive feel about the place and the synergy throughout the club is in its early days but that is vitally important.”
The feelgood factor is helped by a change of base with County’s youngsters now working at USW Sports Park in Treforest rather than Lliswerry High School.
“We have really good pitches, an excellent gym and offices. It’s a sporting environment feels elite and that we have a fully-functioning academy,” said Hussey about the venue, which is currently being used by the Dragons seniors for pre-season before they return to their Ystrad Mynach base.
“There is always a lag [with players coming through] but Nelson and Jac were really good stories for us last season, Kiban Rai the year before.
“The numbers of players that we are confident of coming through are increasing and we have a few good ones.”
County have an evening kick-off while two Gwent clubs get under way at lunchtime with Cwmbran Celtic hosting Trethomas Bluebirds (kick-off 12.30pm).
Celtic have a new boss at the helm in Simon Berry while the Bluebirds have joined them in Cymru South after winning Ardal SE.
Newport City joined them in heading up and the FAW Amateur Trophy winners will hope for more knockout success when they travel to Llantwit Major (2.30pm).
Cwmbran or Trethomas will entertain the winners of the tie between Baglan Dragons and Swansea City while City would host Cardiff Met of Cymru Premier in the second round.
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