IN THE opposing dugout tonight will be an old friend of Town boss Mark Cooper in Justin Edinburgh.

The pair spent a brief period of time together at Southend United back in 1990. Cooper on loan from Exeter and Edinburgh coming through the ranks in Essex before he got his big move to Tottenham.

It was only a brief stint for the Town boss but the pair kept in touch and Cooper had plenty of praise for the Exiles boss’ work, in getting the Welsh side back in the football league and establishing them in the bottom tier.

“I know him (Justin Edinburgh) really well,” said the County Ground chief.

“When I was a young boy I went on loan to Southend and he was starting his career at Southend. We got on quite well and we’ve always kept in touch, he’s been texting me over the weekend and he’s a great, great guy and he’s done a really good job at Newport.”

Cooper knows that despite their opponents being 36 places further down the football league ladder Town will not be getting an easy ride from his old friend’s team.

“They will fancy their chances, especially at home,” added Cooper.

“It’s a difficult place to go, they’re a big powerful team that take no prisoners.

“They’ve done an unbelievable job to get where they are, from where they were a few years ago to competing in League Two. They’ve got some decent players, we won’t be underestimating them at all and they’ll fancy their chances at home – rightly so.”