Newport County manager Graham Coughlan has described the upcoming FA Cup fourth-round game against Manchester United as the biggest in the club’s history. Despite hosting several Premier League teams in recent years, Coughlan, a childhood United fan, believes this game surpasses them all.
With the match scheduled to take place at Rodney Parade, Coughlan expressed his excitement, telling BBC Sport Wales, It’ll be a hell of an occasion. It’s a fourth-round tie against Manchester United, for me the biggest club in this country, in Europe, and in the world.
Coughlan’s family has always supported Manchester United, and the prospect of facing the 12-time FA Cup winners is something that initially overwhelmed the Newport manager. He revealed, We’re a big Manchester United family, we’ve been to FA Cup finals with them. I can’t get my head around it to be honest, they are unbelievable names. Just to have Manchester United coming to Rodney Parade is a hell of an achievement. I don’t know when it will sink in, I’m sure my family are doing Irish jigs around the house at the moment.
The pressure was intensified after Newport failed to secure a victory against ten-man Eastleigh in their previous match. The fourth-round draw made the replay at Silverlake Stadium a highly anticipated event. However, Coughlan focused on downplaying the hype, dismissing it as a pantomime and aiming to relieve the pressure from his players.
Despite this, Coughlan expressed immense pride in his team, acknowledging their tremendous efforts. He said, I’m massively proud of them. Tonight is about Newport County, about those players, this football club, and the supporters who turned up tonight in their numbers.
As Newport County prepares to face Manchester United, excitement and anticipation are mounting. This clash has the potential to create history for the club and etch an unforgettable chapter in Newport’s footballing journey.
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