Carlisle United boss on clash with Graham Coughlan and Newport County

Exiles boss Graham Coughlan was Simpson’s captain whilst at Shrewsbury Town.

United’s boss says he also gave the Irishman his first taste of the dugout.

And he feels a Newport side in Coughlan’s resilient image will be no pushovers at Brunton Park this afternoon.

“They are going to be hard-working, tough to beat, organised…they’ve got a bit of strength of character about them,” said Simpson.

“Graham has got them well-drilled and organised.

“He was a good captain, leader-type personality for me – he did really well for me at Shrewsbury.

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“I was delighted to get him signed and I’m not surprised that he’s gone on to be a manager.

“I think I’m right in saying I was probably the first person to give him a little bit of a taste of management.

“When our reserve team manager Stuart Delaney’s wife was going into labour, I asked Coughs and Mike Jackson if they’d take the reserve team for us as a bit of a taster, as they were both doing their coaching courses.

Graham Coughlan replaced James Rowberry as Newport boss in October (Image: PA)

“If his family have got regrets about him going into management I’ll probably be getting the blame…

“I’m not surprised he’s [gone on to be a manager]. He has a strong personality, and I’m quite sure it will be a real tough game for us.”

Newport, whose squad includes ex-Carlisle striker Offrande Zanzala and whose sporting director is former Blues defender Darren Kelly, have drawn their last four games and sit 18th in the table.

The clubs drew 1-1 in their previous meeting at Rodney Parade when James Rowberry was still at the Newport helm.

“We had a tough game down there,” added Simpson. “I thought on the balance of it we should have got three points out of that game.

“But this is going to be a tough game. Newport have had a little bit of a tough start to the season, but they come to us on the back of four draws – four good ones as well with decent opposition in Rochdale, Crawley, Orient, Wimbledon…they’re no mugs who they’ve come up against.

“They’re a big side, organised, physical, and they ask questions of you all the time.

“I think they’ve got good individuals. I like both their wing-backs, they’re really effective, and they’ve got strikers who can cause problems whether it’s [Will] Evans or Zanzala or [Omar] Bogle.

“I’ve got to say, though, it’s a game we’re really looking forward to. It feels like a long break since that day at Doncaster [United’s previous outing on New Year’s Day].

“I just want us to get back out there and show everybody what we are doing. We’ve got to make sure we’re right, really positive and front foot, and we take the energy we’ve built up over the last two weeks of not having a fixture and take it into the game on.

“I’m hoping the players have been energised. I just hope we go and perform.”