Newport have appointed Graham Coughlan as their new first-team manager on a two-and-a-half-year deal.

The 47-year-old Irishman replaces James Rowberry, who was sacked earlier this month.

Coughlan’s first managerial role came at Bristol Rovers in 2018.

He landed a permanent role after initially stepping up from defensive coach to replace Darrell Clarke on an interim basis, with the Pirates earning 10 points from a possible 15 to move out of the relegation places in League One.

Coughlan moved to Mansfield in December 2019, where he remained until October 2020, and has most recently served as an Under-23s coach at Sheffield United.

His playing career included spells with Blackburn, Plymouth and Sheffield Wednesday.