Mullins named manager at League Two Newport County

July 31, 2026 No Comments

Mullins named manager at League Two Newport CountyImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Hayden Mullins played in the 2010 FA Cup final for PortsmouthPublished7 minutes agoNewport County have appointed Fulham Under-21 boss Hayden Mullins as their new manager.The Exiles have been without a permanent boss since the shock departure of Christian Fuchs in late June.

Following the exit of Fuchs – a 2015-16 Premier League title-winner with Leicester City – Newport appointed Chris Todd as their interim manager.

But the League Two club have now named ex-Crystal Palace, West Ham United and Portsmouth player Mullins as their new permanent boss.

Newport assistant manager Mark Smith has departed the club.

Todd, who has overseen Newport’s pre-season friendlies against Bristol Manor Farm, Newport City, Gloucester City and Reading, is expected to remain at County.

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Newport were four points adrift of safety in the fourth tier when Fuchs was named as Dave Hughes’ successor in November last year.

The Austrian guided Newport to survival in League Two, but left the club on the eve of their return for pre-season ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.

The arrival of Mullins means it is the third successive summer that there has been a managerial change at Rodney Parade.

He is also the fourth permanent boss appointed by owner Huw Jenkins since his January 2024 takeover of the club, following Nelson Jardim, Hughes and Fuchs in the hot seat.

Former England Under-21 international Mullins – who also played for Reading, Birmingham City and Notts County – moved into coaching within Watford’s youth system in 2016.

Having managed the Hornets’ under-23s, he twice took temporary charge of Watford’s senior team, following the exits of Quique Sánchez Flores and Nigel Pearson from Vicarage Road.

Mullins joined Colchester United as an assistant in 2020 and – following a stint as interim boss – took permanent charge of the U’s in May 2021, but was sacked less than a year later.

He went on to have a brief stint in charge of the Turks and Caicos Islands national team in 2023 before joining Fulham as under-21 boss later that year.

In his first campaign in charge, Mullins led the young Cottagers to Premier League Cup glory with a 4-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur Under-21s in the final.

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Mullins will take charge of the first-team squad with immediate effect. His first match in the dugout will come on Saturday when County face Yeovil in pre-season.

Newport round off their summer schedule with a glamour meeting with Italian giants Roma at Rodney Parade on Tuesday, 4 August (19:00 BST).

They start their competitive schedule in the first round of the Carabao Cup at AFC Wimbledon on Saturday, 8 August (15:00 BST).

Newport then get their League Two campaign under way against Rochdale at Rodney Parade on Saturday, 15 August (12:30 BST).