FA Cup

JOHN RELISH has seen Newport transform from a team of postmen to taking on one of the world’s biggest clubs.The County legend was their first-ever manager when they reformed in 1989 after being relegated from the Football League and going bust.
Newport legend John Relish was the reformed club’s first manager
John Relish with the first-ever Newport team in 1989
Back then they had to play home games at Gloucestershire club Moreton-in-Marsh after cobbling together a team of local lads with the ambition to return County to the EFL. 
Relish, 70, who also managed the club in the old Third Division in 1986, will be at Rodney Parade today for the visit of Manchester United.
And he told SunSport: “It was almost two hours to get to Moreton so the team coach used to leave Newport at about 10am for home games.
“But half the team were postmen who had been up doing their rounds since 4am so came straight to the bus, dressed still in their uniforms, absolutely shattered.
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“So we reserved the back rows of seats so they could have a kip. I’d tell them, ‘Go and get two-hours and we’ll wake you when we get there.’
“I was emotional at Wembley when the club returned to the EFL in 2013 but this match is another step.
“I never thought in my wildest dreams that we’d be entertaining Manchester United when we were getting on the bus to Moreton-in-Marsh for our first game against Pegasus Juniors in the Federated Homes League.
“Dreams don’t happen like that – but it has.
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The stand at Moreton-in-Marsh where Newport played their matches in 1989-90
The matchday programme for Newport’s first league game after reforming
“And so many people deserve credit for forgetting this club where they are today.”
County’s resurrection is a perfect role model for clubs that have been wronged by dodgy owners and the football establishment like Bury and Macclesfield.
For Newport had the whole weight of Fifa, Uefa and the Welsh FA against them – yet this small club took them on and won.
County returned home in 1990 but two years later were forced to spend another two seasons in exile – this time at Gloucester City – because the FAW banned them from their own country due to a refusal to join the League of Wales.
At the time, Uefa were threatening to take away the newly-formed league’s European places and Fifa even looked to ban Newport from being allowed to play football.
It led to the League of Wales president Tommy Forse spitefully branding Newport “no more Welsh than Gateshead”.
Yet the club – who adopted the Exiles nickname – won a landmark high-court battle for restriction of trade.
Relish said: “Manchester United will be a huge challenge this weekend but nowhere near as big as taking on Fifa, Uefa and the FAW. That was real David v Goliath stuff.”
The former County boss made 337 appearances for the club as a full-back between 1974 and 1987 – but early in his career spent three months on loan at Bury from Chester.
And he would love to see the Shakers inspired by the Newport story and work their way up the leagues now they have returned to Gigg Lane following their 2019 EFL expulsion.
He said: “Clubs like Bury, with their fan base, it can be done. 
“A lot of things must go your way but unless you energise the town you’re not going to get anywhere, and it didn’t happen overnight in Newport. 
“We lost a generation of supporters. When we were travelling to Moreton and Gloucester, you saw them in their hundreds going to watch Cardiff.
“But thankfully we had 600 fans travelling to watch us which gave us a good base to start climbing from a league where many teams were only getting 80.”
There will be 9,500 crammed into Rodney Parade on Sunday. The club erected a temporary 1,056-seat stand for home fans and put an extension on to the away end for United’s 1,400 allocation.
Newport’s team in the 1989-90 season
Newport fans campaigning to return home at a civic reception
Erik Ten Hag’s men though will have to cram into a much smaller changing room than the huge ones they enjoy at Old Trafford and across the Premier League.
But they will be grateful County will afford them better hospitality than a West Ham team including Trevor Brooking, Billy Bonds, Alan Devonshire and Frank Lampard Snr received for an FA Cup Third-round game in 1979.
Relish, who was in the Newport team, said: “You wouldn’t get away with it now. Len Ashurst was our manager and we had a plan to make it as uncomfortable as possible for West Ham.
“They came down to our place and found there were no lightbulbs in the dressing room, no toilet rolls, the tea was cold and there were puddles all over their floor.
“And we gave them semi-deflated footballs to warm up with!
“We could hear them all complaining like crazy.
“West Ham were used to the best of everything so we wanted to make them uncomfortable and see how they fancied coming down to South Wales on a cold, windy January night. It worked because we won 2-1.” 
Although Newport hosted Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in 2019, Relish says this United tie dwarfs that because of their sheer domestic and global appeal.
John is Relishing the big game
The Red Devils along with Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona are regarded as the planet’s biggest clubs.
Relish said: “United are one of only two teams Newport have never played, Liverpool being the other one.
“But this game has made me realise just how massive Man Utd is – not just the fan-base that actually go to Old Trafford but the people who have a soft spot for them.
“The city has gone absolutely crazy since we set up this tie. I feel so sorry for those who work at the club because we’ve got the smallest staff in League Two. There are just six people working full-time, a couple part-time and some volunteers.
“This is not meant to be derogatory –but we have at the moment a National League South set up because the infrastructure off the field has not kept pace with the team’s success.
“And this match against United just happens to have landed a week after we hosted Wrexham, which in itself is a huge game and was sold out to capacity.”
But can Newport stun United on Saturday?
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Relish said: “A lot has to go right. County have to play out of their skins, United must have a bad day, key decisions will need to go in our favour.
“But the big dream for me is to draw the game and get a replay. A game at Old Trafford will earn this club £1million, enough income for the club to pay the whole of next season. More

CHELSEA have been given just 72 hours to recover from their Carabao Cup heroics before returning to Stamford Bridge.The Blues defeated Middlesbrough 6-1 in the semi-final second leg on Tuesday to book their place at Wembley.
Chelsea have to play two games in four daysCredit: AFP
Chelsea have had little time to celebrate as they are back in action against Aston Villa in the FA Cup tomorrow.
They have been given just three days rest after falling victims to fixture congestion.
And it turns out that Fulham are partly to blame for Chelsea’s Friday night fixture.
The Cottagers, who lost to Liverpool on Wednesday night, have a game against Everton next Tuesday.
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To allow them enough time to prepare, Saturday has been chosen for their FA Cup tie against Newcastle.
Craven Cottage is just up the road from Stamford Bridge and therefore both clubs cannot play at home on the same day due to safety reasons.
Meanwhile, Unai Emery’s team have their next Prem game against Newcastle also on Tuesday night – consequently stopping the Chelsea tie being played on Sunday or Monday.
As a result, the FA Cup fourth round clash has had to be moved to Friday night and it will not be shown on TV.
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Villa come into the match having not playing for 11 days.
Fans have been left fuming, one said: “This ain’t fair man.”
Another added: “Absolute madness that a game like Chelsea vs Villa on a Friday night isn’t on TV.”
A third commented: “What a joke.”
Chelsea have huge games against Liverpool and Man City before the Carabo Cup final on February 25 More

SHANE McLOUGHLIN hopes to make it a Fairytale from New York at Rodney Parade.League Two minnows Newport are going toe-to-toe with Premier League giants Manchester United on Sunday in what is arguably the biggest match in the Welsh club’s history.
Shane McLoughlin is living the Newport dream with Manchester United in town
Shane McLoughlin started his football journey as a kid in the Bronx

And for the Newport midfielder it represents a real fairytale having started his football journey in the Bronx to now taking on some of the game’s biggest names.
New York-born McLoughlin, 26, is the son of Irish parents who emigrated to America.
He told SunSport: “They met in the States after both going there to work. My dad Eamon worked in construction while mum Mary was a nurse. They lived 20-plus years there and had a family.
“Although my parents decided to move back to County Kerry in Ireland when I was five, I started playing football in the Bronx and have happy flashbacks.
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“My brother, also Eamon, was two years older and I remember being around the sides of the pitch while he was playing matches.
“I then played for a football team there myself – so my journey in the game started in New York.
“Although my memories are sketchy, I’ve seen photos of me in my kit and playing in organised mini leagues.
“I had an American accent until I was 12. The only thing I’ve retained from then is my love for watching American sport.”
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McLoughlin, who also has an older sister Danielle, went on to play youth football in Ireland for local clubs Castleisland, Killorglin and St Brendan’s Park, where he was spotted by Ipswich scouts aged 16 and ended up moving to Suffolk.
And he made his first-team debut for the Tractor Boys aged 20 away at Premier League club Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup.
But it was while the midfielder was at Morecambe two years ago – following a stint at Wimbledon – he had his biggest football moment, almost knocking Tottenham out of the FA Cup on their home turf.
He said: “No-one gave us a chance yet we gave them a huge scare and were winning 1-0 with 16 minutes left.
“But they brought on the big guns Harry Kane and Lucas Moura, who both scored, and we lost 3-1.
Shane McLoughlin came close to knocking Spurs out of the FA Cup with Morecambe before Harry Kane helped dig them out of a hole
“The big thing I noticed about Premier League footballers from that game is that they’re machines. You don’t realise when you’re watching it on TV.
“But when you’re out on the same pitch, you see they’re big lads, fit and strong. They’re also relentless. They do everything so well. Each and every one of them can beat you on their own at any moment. That’s the difference. It’s the consistency they get.”
Although McLoughlin is a Liverpool fan who grew up idolising Steven Gerrard, he has admired and even idolised some of the Manchester United stars of yesteryear.
And he is thrilled to be taking on his favourite club’s biggest rivals.
He said: “I always liked Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs and Rio Ferdinand – but Paul Scholes was my favourite United player.
“As a midfielder myself, I loved watching him. It was the way he passed the ball, how he struck it and the amount of goals he scored. You cannot help but admire someone like that.”
When you’re in League Two, opportunities to play against top stars like this come far and few between so I want Erik ten Hag to go full-strength.”SHANE McLOUGHLIN
McLoughlin is hoping Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes and Rasmus Hojlund all feature this weekend.
And, although Newport needed a replay to get past National League club Eastleigh to set up this fourth-round tie, he believes United can be beaten at Rodney Parade.
He added: “I hope Erik ten Hag goes full-strength, even though that means the game will be even harder.
“When you’re at a League Two club, opportunities in your career to play against top stars like this come far and few between.
“I want to see Rashford, Fernandes and Hojlund play because you want to see how you compare to this calibre of players.”
Newport played League Two Welsh rivals Wrexham on Saturday – which in any other regular season would be their biggest game.
But it was only a dress rehearsal for the main event. Rodney Parade had a capacity of 9,537 crammed in – and it will be the same this weekend after tickets sold out within half an hour of going on sale.
Marcus Rashford is one of the Manchester United stars Shane McLoughlin would love to face in the FA Cup on Sunday
Although Shane McLoughlin is a Liverpool fan and idolised Steven Gerrard, he was a huge admirer of Manchester United legend Paul Scholes
Shane McLoughlin has noticed a huge buzz around the City this week
And although in recent times, Newport have hosted Leicester, Tottenham and Manchester City, nothing has quite captured the imagination in these parts of South Wales than Sunday’s fourth-round game.
McLoughlin said: “I’ve sensed the excitement. You just feel the bounce and energy around the city.
“When we played Wrexham, just coming out for the warm up, there was a different type of feel – and we think it’s going to be more ramped for this one.
“With United coming here, so many of our lads are wearing huge smiles. It’s not something that happens every week. It’s going to be a massive day in all our careers.”
United will be outside their comfort zone playing in a stadium ONE EIGHTH the size of Old Trafford – with their team and backroom staff having to squeeze into a small dressing room.
But McLoughlin insists there can be no excuses or complaints from Ten Hag’s millionaires – saying: “Our pitch isn’t a bog, it’s one of the best in the lower leagues. This club won League Two pitch of the year two years running. 
“Yes, the changing rooms might be smaller than they’re used to and the stadium will be tight but many United players will enjoy it as they’ve come through youth football and smaller clubs. I don’t think anything will shock them.”
Newport came within a couple of minutes of beating Tottenham in 2018 with Kane scoring a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Rodney Parade to force a replay which they won.
Shane McLoughlin in action at Eastleigh in the third-round replay
Newport erected a temporary stand for the sell-out Wrexham game which will be used for the Manchester United clash too
And the Exiles then beat ex-Premier League champions Leicester and Championship side Middlesbrough before giving a good account of themselves in a 4-1 loss to Manchester City in South Wales in 2019.
So can they beat United and cause what will be one of the biggest shocks in the competition’s 153-year history?
Yes, says McLoughlin.
He added: “You must believe you have a chance. There have been big upsets before and there’s no reason why we can’t now. We’ll need luck and maybe some big decisions to go our way – but that’s the magic of the cup. You never know.”
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While McLoughlin’s partner Abigail, along with family and close friends, will be crammed into Rodney Parade willing on the underdogs, there will be a contingent of relatives in Ireland watching on TV.
And there will be aunties, uncles and cousins living across the pond also glued to the box – hoping to witness a Fairytale from New York. More

MANCHESTER UNITED’S stars will be crammed into a tiny away dressing room at Newport on Sunday.The Red Devils travel to Rodney Parade for their FA Cup fourth round clash with the League Two side.
Manchester United will be greeted by a tiny dressing room at Newport on SundayCredit: Huw Evans
Rodney Parade features a retro dugout that holds just 13 peopleCredit: Huw Evans
Erik ten Hag and his players are set to be greeted by beige tiles and peeling plaster once they enter the changing area.
Meanwhile, the hosts will prepare for the match in their plush home dressing room.
United will have to make do with facilities more suited to Sunday League than the Premier League.
The away dressing room features faded paint on the walls, a fold-up table, physio’s chair, a few bins and two urinals.
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Before even reaching the dressing room, the United stars will be ushered through a small grey gate next to the main road at the 7,850-capacity ground.
The 1,400 travelling supporters are set to be housed in a temporary stand and given access to the Rodney’s Bar.
A new space is also being created for the post-match press conferences, with Ten Hag expected to speak to the media from a converted office as opposed to the tiny box room the club usually uses.
His players may also be hemmed in on the bench, as the away dugout only holds 13 people.
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Hosts Newport will use their relatively plush home dressing room during the matchCredit: Huw Evans
Erik ten Hag and his players will be a world away from their Old Trafford homeCredit: Getty
Emergency chairs will need to be found for substitutes and coaching staff as they watch on in front of the home fans.
United fans and players can find some home comforts at Rodney Parade, though, with water often leaking through the roof of the old stand.
Supporters filmed water leaking through the Old Trafford roof earlier this season in footage which later went viral on social media.
The Red Devils will hope to overcome the challenges presented by Newport’s home ground and avoid a giant-killing.
FA Cup fourth round fixtures
Bournemouth vs Swansea
Bristol City vs Nottingham Forest
Sheffield Wednesday vs Coventry
Chelsea vs Aston Villa
Tottenham vs Manchester City
Ipswich vs Maidstone
Leicester vs Birmingham
Leeds vs Plymouth
Everton vs Luton
Sheffield United vs Brighton
Fulham vs Newcastle
West Brom vs Wolves
Watford vs Southampton
Liverpool vs Norwich
Newport vs Manchester United
Blackburn vs Wrexham

Leicester were beaten at Rodney Parade in 2019, after Tottenham were taken to a replay a year earlier.
Graham Coughlan’s side, whose star striker worked as a farmer until he was 25, are currently 14th in League Two.
The Exiles have beaten Oldham, Barnet and Eastleigh already in this season’s competition to set up their clash with the 12-time winners.
United players will enter Rodney Parade through a small grey gateCredit: Huw Evans
1,400 visiting supporters will be housed in a temporary stand at the groundCredit: Huw Evans More