Newport County are pleased to announce the appointment of Joe Abbandonato as the club’s new Foundation Phase Lead, strengthening the academy’s commitment to developing young talent at the earliest stages of the pathway.
Abbandonato arrives at Rodney Parade with an impressive background in elite academy football, having gained valuable experience with both Cardiff City and Chelsea F.C. across the past eight years.
He spent six years with Cardiff City between 2017 and 2023, coaching across the U8 to U12 age groups. During his time with the Bluebirds, he helped guide the U9s to success in the prestigious Corey Price Series, a six-round competition featuring top academies including Arsenal F.C., Chelsea F.C., Aston Villa F.C., Southampton F.C. and Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.. The achievement marked a significant milestone as the academy’s first winners of the competition.
In 2023, Abbandonato joined Chelsea for a two-year spell, again working across the U9 to U12 age groups at one of England’s most renowned academies. During that time he helped guide the U12s to a Premier double, lifting both the Premier League Cup and the Christmas Truce Tournament.
His sides also enjoyed success in international competition, overcoming some of Europe’s most prestigious academies including FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain F.C., Juventus F.C. and FC Bayern Munich.
Alongside his coaching responsibilities, Abbandonato also contributed through video analysis work that impressed senior staff at Chelsea, leading to a promotion into a Technical Analyst role. In that position, he supported the club’s weekly technical development programme and helped shape individual player development plans.
Further success followed in April 2025 when he lifted the Corey Price Cup for the third time that season, overcoming a field of 25 teams to secure the trophy on finals day.
Currently completing his UEFA A Licence, Abbandonato now joins Newport County with a focus on supporting and developing the club’s youngest players within the foundation phase of the academy.
Speaking about his new role, he said he is excited about the opportunity to help nurture the next generation of County talent and contribute to the continued growth of the club’s academy programme.
Everyone at Newport County would like to welcome Joe to the club and wish him every success in his new role developing the Exiles’ young players.
