Mullins named Newport County manager after leaving Fulham U21 role

Hayden Mullins has been appointed manager of League Two side Newport County after leaving his role with Fulham's under-21s. The Exiles had been without a permanent boss since Christian Fuchs's sudden exit in late June. Fuchs, a Premier League title winner with Leicester City in 2015-16, had succeeded Dave Hughes in November with Newport four points adrift of safety in the fourth tier. He kept the club up but walked away on the eve of pre-season for the 2026-27 campaign. Chris Todd, who took the team for friendlies against Bristol Manor Farm, Newport City, Gloucester City and Reading, is expected to stay on. Assistant manager Mark Smith has left the club. Mullins brings a long association with English football as a player and coach. He featured for Crystal Palace, West Ham United, Portsmouth, Reading, Birmingham City and Notts County, and represented England at Under-21 level. After starting his coaching career in Watford's academy in 2016, he managed the club's under-23s and twice took caretaker charge of the senior side following the departures of Quique Sánchez Flores and Nigel Pearson. He later worked as an assistant at Colchester United, took permanent charge in May 2021 and was dismissed less than a year later. In 2023 he managed the Turks and Caicos Islands national team before moving to Fulham, where he led the under-21s to Premier League Cup glory by beating Tottenham Hotspur Under-21s 4-0 in the final. His arrival means Newport will have a new manager for a third successive summer. Since Huw Jenkins completed his takeover in January 2024, Mullins is the fourth permanent appointment after Nelson Jardim, Hughes and Fuchs. Mullins takes charge with immediate effect and will be in the dugout for Saturday's friendly against Yeovil. County then host Roma at Rodney Parade on Tuesday, 4 August, before their Carabao Cup first-round trip to AFC Wimbledon on Saturday, 8 August. The League Two season begins at home to Rochdale on Saturday, 15 August.