EXC: Welcome to Newport, Man United! Mail Sport goes behind the scenes

The half-and-half scarves had been already on sale on the stroll to Rodney Parade. The little boy perusing the membership store after the victory over Wrexham wrapped his round his neck, one half amber, the opposite half purple. Newport County on one aspect, Manchester United on the opposite.

There was nonetheless every week to go till Newport confronted the English giants within the fourth-round of the FA Cup however even on the day their Hollywood rivals Wrexham got here to city, a lady from Cardiff was out flogging scarves on a pop-up stand alongside the excessive avenue.

‘Was up all evening knitting them,’ she joked. 

She travels the nation promoting them for various video games and totally different grounds. United coming to South Wales is clearly huge enterprise.

It actually is for Newport followers. Hundreds queued for hours at Rodney Parade on Thursday to get their fingers on a golden ticket. Some did not make it to the ticket workplace earlier than the shutters got here down and needed to return the subsequent day. One arrived at on Friday at 4am to verify he was first.

They’ve hosted huge golf equipment to Rodney Parade lately, Tottenham in 2018 and Man City the next 12 months. They took Brentford to penalties within the League Cup this season.

United nonetheless hits totally different. It’s turned a go to of their fierce Welsh rivals within the league for the primary time in over a decade right into a warm-up act. Newport’s 1-0 win over Wrexham in entrance of a rocking, roaring sell-out crowd proved the right rehearsal.

Cynics scoff lately on the dwindling magic of the FA Cup however ties just like the one on Sunday show it nonetheless glimmers once in a while and, for therefore many, in so many various methods.

Seb Palmer-Houlden scored the winner in opposition to Wrexham on Saturday. He’s on mortgage from Bristol City and remembers being a ballboy when the Robins dumped United out of the League Cup in 2017. His dad, Simon, tweeted that possibly it is Newport’s fortunate omen.

‘That was an incredible feeling,’ mentioned Palmer-Houlden. 

‘Cup nights are actually particular. I used to be watching Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic and good outdated Korey Smith scored the winner. It confirmed what can occur within the Cup.

‘I can not watch for it. It’s a boyhood dream to play an enormous staff like that. Bring on Manchester United!

‘You must take pleasure in these moments, they do not come round fairly often. To everybody, particularly the United followers within the dressing room, it will imply loads to them.’

There’s a couple of of them, to not point out supervisor Graham Coughlan. Newport stalwart Scot Bennett, too, in addition to native lad Nathan Woods. Woods returned to the membership in the summertime after eight years within the Welsh leagues and final 12 months labored in a espresso store close to the coaching floor.

‘Nathan is an enormous United fan,’ added Palmer-Houlden. ‘It’s his boyhood membership in opposition to his dream membership. It will probably be a extremely huge event for him and he is the nicest man I’ve ever met so I hope he enjoys the second.’

Newport ahead Will Evans labored on his dad’s farm and is now dealing with the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford.

For the membership itself a £400,000 payday – just a few bob greater than the weekly wage of United’s highest earners – is important to the lifeblood of golf equipment of Newport’s measurement.

When United do arrive at Rodney Parade, they’re in for a shock to their system used to the comforts of the Premier League.

The very first thing they’ll see is a small silver gate which they are going to be ushered via  to after being dropped off on a principal street – though the Premier League giants could request to return differently and reverse their bus as much as the ticket workplace.

The away dressing room, which Mail Sport was given unique entry to final week, is not any larger than one you’d discover in Sunday League. Faded gray partitions, beige tiles, peeling plaster, a fold-up desk, a physios chair, a few bins and two urinals.

The away dugout solely holds 13 so United must discover some emergency chairs for all of the hangers-on and it is so near the house followers there will probably be no place to cover. 

For the travelling followers their watering gap will probably be Rodney’s Bar, in the event that they want to take pleasure in a drink earlier than, throughout or after kick-off. 

When they watch the match, the 1,400 away help will probably be housed within the short-term stand constructed for this event. 

Post-match Erik ten Hag’s press convention will probably be in a transformed workplace within the stadium – such is the scale of the tiny field room the place they’re usually performed.

If Wrexham is something to go by, the 8,000 dwelling supporters could make Rodney Parade an intimidating place to go.

Coughlan, nevertheless, is a bit more reasonable.

‘United play in entrance of 75,000 each week so I do not suppose 9,000 right here will upset them or knocked them out their rhythm,’ he mentioned.

‘It’s an excellent tie in opposition to an amazing soccer membership, most likely the largest on the earth, with world-class gamers. It’s an amazing take a look at for us and sensible for the soccer membership. I simply hope we will go and do ourselves justice.

‘It’s a special day, a particular weekend, go and revel in it however, go on, give it a go and see what can occur.

‘We are going to wish lots of luck, inspirational performances throughout, selections to go our method, the break of the ball, our goalkeeper goes to must be on type, we’re going to must take our moments, with all our gamers acting at their most. If all that occurs, possibly we will… maintain the rating down!’

Ten Hag mentioned final week that he is aware of ‘nothing’ about Newport County. 

‘Well, I do know loads about Manchester United,’ responded Coughlan, who will welcome his counterpart for a drink after the sport. ‘I haven’t got an workplace however I’ll invite him upstairs!’