FA Cup: Newport ready for 'dream come true' Man Utd game

"The day tickets went on sale, I was coming into the office and the queue was halfway down the drive - I thought 'wow, here we go'."

Deborah Henderson and colleagues at Newport County's ticket office have never seen a week quite like it before their club's clash with Manchester United in the FA Cup.

Last weekend it was a sell-out crowd for their game against Welsh rivals Wrexham in the fourth tier.

This Sunday another packed Rodney Parade will host one of the world's biggest teams.

Such has been the demand for tickets, one Newport player even joined the queue hoping to land spares for friends and family - only to see 14,000 people ahead of him.

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Despite their relatively lowly status, County are no strangers to hosting Premier League giants in English football's top cup competition.

In the past six years they have welcomed the likes of Tottenham, Manchester City and Brighton - with County even beating Leicester in 2019. But even that hadn't prepared Deborah and her colleagues for the latest name out of the hat.

"When I was told it was Manchester United I didn't believe it, I thought somebody was winding me up," she says.

"It's been an exceptionally busy week, but it's been good and the atmosphere has been electric."

Deborah Henderson says it was a minority who were verbally abusive to staff during queuing for FA Cup tickets

But the increased demand also saw the club close its ticket office for a period, after "abuse and threatening behaviour" towards staff from some of those queuing up.

"The majority were really excited and pleasant, and you just have the minority which happen to spoil it for others," adds Deborah.

As a local boy, striker Nathan Wood, 26, says he knows how "proud" the city's residents are to be part of such an occasion.

But even he found that players' privileges only go so far when he tried to look for extra tickets online for friends and family.

"It's no secret that tickets have been like gold dust - I actually had a look at the queue on Monday morning and I was number 14,000 in the queue, so there was no chance," says Wood, who confesses to also being a Man Utd fan.

"It's great for the city, great for the players, and hopefully one that will live long in the memory."

Band members from Newport's Goldie Lookin Chain, Adam Hussain and Graham The Bear, described the excitement brewing across the county.

"What a place to live, what a place to be, and what a place and time to be alive," said Adam. "It's just a family affair, so everyone's bubbling up with excitement for it," added Graham.

"We've all got the County in our heart, flowing through our veins."

Nathan Wood (left) imitated Man Utd striker Marcus Rashford's goal celebration while playing for Penybont in 2023

This time last year Wood was playing for Penybont against the likes of Caernarfon, Aberystwyth and Gresford in the Welsh domestic league system.

It's a path well-trodden at Newport, with current top scorer Will Evans, 26, also having made the move from Bala in 2022, and Wood describes their journey as a "dream come true".

"To share a pitch against some of the best players in the world, that's what you dream of as a kid, and it's the next best thing to playing for them," he says.

Newport (in white) saw off Eastleigh in their FA Cup third round replay thanks to a goal from James Clarke (left, on ground)

"But we've got a job to do as well, so hopefully we can enjoy it and give a good account of ourselves, for the city and for the fans."

He says he believes that this may well be the biggest game in Newport's history.

"I might be biased, but I think this is right at the very top. Manchester United are arguably one of the top two, three biggest clubs in the world."

Teammate Bryn Morris, 27, also grew up supporting the Red Devils - but insists he hasn't been eyeing up potential shirt swaps with his opponents at the end of the game.

"Not for myself, I'm not really into that," he says.

"But my girlfriend's brother has asked for one, my brother's asked for one, so I've got a few people who want a shirt."

Since Newport beat fifth-tier Eastleigh to earn the clash against Manchester United, media officer Louis Cartwright-Walls says his phone has been "red-hot".

"In the office it's been busy, manic - everyone's been on the phone doing their things, but we're all excited for Sunday.

"They're the biggest club in the world, arguably, so hosting that in terms of media is a huge task.

"As important as it is [financially], it's the community aspect, it's the buzz, it's putting Newport on the map which is important, and you feel that."

A temporary stand has been erected at Rodney Parade to boost the ground's capacity to 9,000

With the game televised live on BBC One, and two temporary stands added to Rodney Parade's capacity, it has been estimated that the game could be worth about £400,000 to the club.

That financial boost has been described as a "godsend" to a club which has faced turmoil and bankruptcy in the past - but this week received confirmation of former Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins's takeover.

Club secretary Gareth Evans says it is "huge for a little club like Newport to have that kind of money at this time of the season".

"There's something about this place - we love a cup run, and we attract the big sides.

Gareth Evans says the cash boost from the fixture will be huge for Newport

"Not to take anything away from the other Premier League sides we've hosted, but Man United, with their status… to host them at Rodney Parade - we've never played them before - so it's history in the making."

Despite missing out on tickets for the game, Newport fan Andrew Gallivan, 54, says he cannot wait for the "buzz" in the city on Sunday.

"Hopefully we sneak a win and Man Utd go home with their tail between their legs," he says.

"Newport have done it in the past, so let's give it a go.

"If you think about the TV revenue, 10,000 fans here roaring Newport on - it's going to be an outstanding day."

Newport County vs Manchester United is live on BBC One and iPlayer from 16:00 GMT on Sunday 28 January, with live commentary in English on BBC Radio Wales and in Welsh on BBC Radio Cymru 2

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