OWNER Huw Jenkins knows Sunday’s FA Cup clash with Manchester United presents Newport County AFC with a big opportunity to boost their profile at the start a new era.
The Exiles have enjoyed magical FA Cup clashes with Tottenham, Manchester City and Leicester but now they have the biggest occasion against the Red Devils in round four.
Rodney Parade will be packed with 9,500 fans and the tie will be shown live on BBC One and to a global audience.
The game has given County a much-needed financial boost with FA Cup prize money so far totalling £213,000 while they got a broadcast fee of £30,000 for the round two replay at Barnet and earn £110,000 for the cameras being in Newport this weekend.
However, the fixture is also a chance for the Exiles to boost their reputation in the first game of Jenkins’ stewardship.
“We have done it the hard way in the FA Cup with two draws at home and winning both replays, especially at Eastleigh when we played really well with a good team performance,” said the former Swansea owner.
“Now we have a home tie with Manchester United and it has come at an opportune moment.
“It provides an opportunity to get Newport County’s name out there again and for the players and manager it’s added profile for their own careers.
“It’s the focus on Newport County for a chance and what we want is to make sure it’s the start of better recognition for the club, to rebuild and get more respect in the football world for being a well-run and well-respected club.”
County operated with a structural loss of around £300,000 a year when owned by the Supporters Trust.
Jenkins needs to address that situation and occasions like the United tie, sandwiched by bumper League Two fixtures with Wrexham and Swindon, present opportunities for the future.
“The biggest part of our charge in thinking is commercial,” he said. “Our commercial income is very low so we have to change the club around to attract more partners and have more commercial awareness.
“Yes, that comes from out on the field because if you get it right there then people want to be part of it.
“But I’m aware of having the right attitude around the club, developing a good feel around it that people are welcome, is something that I am used to doing and I think we can easily achieve that.
“Newport is in a very good geographical position to attract many things and there’s quite a lot of big industry around as well, so I think all of that can change everything if we do things in the right way.”
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