Newport County chairman Wallace Brown (pictured) is calling for local businessmen to back the club financially to push the Exiles into the Nationwide Conference, writes Peter Shuttleworth.

The County board's aim is to bring League football back to Newport and Wednesday's FA Cup first round replay with Second Division Blackpool gave the fans a taste - or older fans a reminder - of what League football is all about.

Brown said: "We need a lot more investment in the club and if we can secure that the club can go forward.

"Football generally wants Newport County back in the League, we certainly want to be there, but there is a lot of hard work that needs to be put in on the structure of the club to be able to do that."

County have earned £150,000+ from their FA Cup run, including £100,000 from Sky Sports for screening Wednesday's game.

Brown added: "The club has had some financial difficulties in the recent past and the money will be put to very good use.

"When you get through the quality and enjoyment of the cup run, getting to the Conference can be achieved.

"People who had never seen us before were at Newport Stadium or saw the game on television and now know we have a quality side.

"I just felt sorry that the score-line reached 4-1 because it was not a 4-1 game and the lads did themselves and the club proud."

Brown also warned against the football authorities investing all their cash into the top leagues and forgetting about the non-league divisions.

Manager Tim Harris said: "We will look back on the cup game with pride. Everybody in the town is proud of what the lads achieved, I know I certainly am. We haven't let anybody down."