Ahead of Saturday’s Sky Bet League Two fixture against Crawley Town, Newport County manager David Hughes has shared his thoughts on recent squad developments, the impact of new signing Liam Shephard, the emergence of Cameron Evans in midfield, and the challenges posed by a busy schedule.
The signing of Liam Shephard has added significant experience and versatility to the County squad. Hughes praised both the quality and character of the 30-year-old, who joined the club this week on a one-year deal.
“Liam brings outstanding quality, technical ability and experience. He’s still only 30, so there’s plenty of football in front of him. He adds significantly to the squad, and we’re really pleased to have him on board.”
Shephard has kept himself in top condition over the summer through training with the PFA and arrived at the club in excellent shape.
“He’s looked really fit and sharp. He spent four weeks at the PFA, and they deserve huge credit for the support they give out-of-contract players. Liam’s in good health and has shown the right attitude from day one. Anyone who has worked with Liam speaks highly of his personality, his character, and his approach to the game. He’s an outstanding individual and fits into what we’re building here.”
Cameron Evans has also earned praise for his recent performances. Originally a defender, the 24-year-old has made an impact further up the pitch during pre-season and in the early fixtures.
“Cam has shown real versatility. He was excellent against both Barnet and Notts County. He’s got a fantastic personality and brings great energy to the group. He picked up a minor knock during pre-season but has bounced back really well.”
Hughes also confirmed the squad is in good shape heading into the weekend, with only a few minor fitness concerns.
“We’ve got one or two bumps and bruises, but nothing major. Michael Spellman and Ciaran Brennan are both close to returning, so we’re in a good place overall.”
With the season now in full flow, Hughes also confirmed that the club remains active in the market.
“We’re still looking to add one or two more where needed to support the squad. We’re in constant dialogue with the chairman about that, especially with the fixture load we’ve got in the run-up to Christmas.”
Newport travel to Crawley on Saturday before heading to Millwall on Tuesday in the Carabao Cup. Hughes expects a tough challenge from both sides.
“Scott Lindsey is a very experienced coach and Crawley will be looking to respond after last weekend’s result. It’s our job to make that difficult and impose ourselves on the game. Millwall will be a very different challenge, but we’ll embrace it. There’s a strong cup tradition at this club, and we want to continue that. We’ll assess the squad after the weekend, but whoever plays will go out to win. Ultimately the League is the priority but that doesn’t that we won’t be taking Tuesday any less seriously.”
With a demanding schedule ahead, Hughes believes the focus and professionalism of the squad will be key.
“We’ve tapered our training to keep the players fresh for what’s to come. The group has shown the right intent, and we’ve been really pleased with their attitude and application so far.”