GRAHAM Coughlan believes Newport County AFC’s clash with Manchester United is the biggest in the club’s history – and hopes the FA Cup tie has earned him some January spending money.
The Exiles will host the Red Devils at Rodney Parade a week on Sunday after beating Eastleigh in a third-round replay on Tuesday night.
County have won £213,000 in prize money by beating Oldham, Barnet and the Spitfires in the competition while they earned £30,000 for the second-round replay with the Bees being shown live on ITV.
BBC One have picked the Manchester United game for coverage and that will boost the Exiles’ coffers by £110,000, plus they will have their share of the gate receipts for a bumper crowd.
It promises to be a wonderful start to a new era for Newport with the takeover by former Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins set to be completed in the coming days.
County posted big financial losses last summer and operate with a structural deficit of around £300,000, which led to the Trust-owned club hunting investment in order to survive in the Football League.
Coughlan operates on one of the lowest budgets in the Football League and the first priority for 2023/24 was League Two survival.
County were stretched by injury in the autumn but a core of players have dug deep to build a healthy lead over the strugglers.
The manager has long said that he only wants to add a couple of new recruits in January and that business wasn’t reliant on the Jenkins takeover getting the green light from the EFL in time.
Now Coughlan wants to ensure he has some extra options on his roster before the transfer window shuts at 11pm on Thursday, February 1.
“As a dressing room, as a group of players and staff, we have probably earned the right to maybe go in the transfer market and bring one or two players in,” he said.
“Huw Jenkins was at Eastleigh and hopefully this adds to the bounce, atmosphere and good times this club is going through at the moment.
“Let me tell you, it wasn’t always like that.
“Coming through the door 18 months ago it was absolutely one of the toughest challenges that I have taken on.
“Hopefully we have come through it, hopefully the FA Cup can help us and hopefully Huw Jenkins’ takeover can push us on.
“I would really love to try and build something and push on – hopefully the FA Cup can be a springboard, not only with the feelgood factor and the fans going home happy but the financial gain.”
County have welcomed Manchester City, Tottenham, Leicester, Newcastle, Brighton, Brentford and Southampton to Rodney Parade in recent seasons.
Coughlan, an avid Manchester United supporter, believes the upcoming tie will top the lot.
“I am sure one or two will have a debate,” said the Dubliner. “It was a fifth round tie against Man City and this is a fourth round tie against Man United.
“But for me, Man United are the biggest club in this country, the biggest club in Europe, the biggest club in the world.
“I am a touch biased but I would answer that question with a big fat ‘yes’! I know some people would lean towards the fifth round game against Man City, but I'd say Man United all day long.”
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