Newport County midfielder Cole Jarvis says he is enjoying life at Rodney Parade and believes the squad can build something special under Hayden Mullins.
Jarvis joined County from Merthyr Town last season and has had to adapt to full-time football and a new level, but says he has relished the challenge.
“It’s been a challenge. Obviously, it’s been a bit of a jump, but I’m really enjoying it.
“I’m getting used to the full-time sort of gig and obviously the boys are a good bunch. The gaffer’s a good bunch, so yeah, I’m really enjoying it.”
Jarvis arrived at County during a difficult period last season as the club battled at the bottom end of League Two, but believes the changes made over the summer have created a completely different environment.
“It was a tough end of the season, but look, we look past that now. We’ve got something great going on here now, so we keep building on it and we keep moving forward.”
The midfielder has also welcomed the arrival of Hayden Mullins and the experience he has brought to the group.
“It’s been good. Obviously, new players, but it was a bit of a shock coming into pre-season with the change of manager.
“The boys are really good. Good bunch of lads, good experience, which I think is a massive benefit to us.
“Obviously, the gaffer coming in from a higher category as well will really, really help us. I’m really invested in him and feel like we can do something really good together as a group.
“We’ll keep going week by week now, going strong, and keep progressing.”
Jarvis has featured in a number of different positions, including up front, and says he is happy to play wherever he can help the team.
“I’m not one of those to say ‘I don’t want to do this, I want to do that’. I want to be on the pitch. I’ll do whatever it takes.
“I’m one of those people who does it for the team. I want to win as a player, but also as a team we need to push forward. So anything I can do to help that, I’m happy to do.”
That versatility has already proved valuable, with Jarvis coming off the bench to score his first County goal in the dramatic defeat at Bristol Rovers.
“It’s massive. For somebody like me who’s never really come through the academy setup and has always had to prove myself to the teams I’ve signed for, it’s a massive achievement.
“My family and I are so, so proud of it. It means everything to us.
“But it’s not the end there. We look for more. We strive for more, we strive to be better.”
Jarvis was introduced late on at Bristol Rovers and immediately looked to make an impact as County chased the game.
“You’ve got to come on and do it, haven’t you? You’ve just got to try and get yourself in there somewhere or other, no matter how you do it. You’ve just got to get in there.”
While he remains determined to earn a starting place, Jarvis is embracing the competition within the squad.
“I wouldn’t be right to say I’d just happily sit on the bench. Of course I want to be a starter, but I also understand that I’m still adapting and still learning.
“I’ve never been at this level before, so I’m still learning as a player from people who have been higher than me and are more experienced than me.
Jarvis believes the experience within the current squad can also help County's younger players develop.
“Last year we were a very young group. We’ve had a lot of experienced boys come in, whether that be youngsters who have come in from a higher level or older heads who have played at a higher level.
“They’re coming in now and really showing their experience. It’s a massive benefit to us and I think the balance is really good in the squad.”
After scoring his first County goal, Jarvis is now hoping he can celebrate in front of the home supporters when Tranmere Rovers visit Rodney Parade on Saturday.
“I didn’t get to celebrate properly in front of the fans. I had to just pick up the ball and run back to the centre circle.
“But I scored at a good time. It was 90+2, so we still had six minutes to go and try and nick another one.
“I think that shows as a team that we want to go after people. We want to go and win games, we want to go and get points, we want to go and be aggressive.
“On a personal note, my family were there, they loved it, I loved it. But yeah, we’ll have one day where we can celebrate properly.”
