Irish Newport boss Graham Coughlan hoping for FA Cup tie against boyhood club Man Utd

Newport manager Graham Coughlan hopes to land a glamorous FA Cup tie against Manchester United – 45 years after the Red Devils reduced him to tears by losing the so-called “Five-minute final” to Arsenal.

County stand to make £400,000 (€465,000) if they win their third-round replay at non-league Eastleigh on Tuesday after 12-time cup winners United were drawn to visit the winners on January 28th.

Coughlan, a Manchester United supporter growing up in his native Dublin, was only four years old when Arsenal led the 1979 final at Wembley 2-0 and had one hand on the trophy.

Goals from Gordon McQueen and Sammy McIlroy in the final five minutes almost handed United a reprieve, but Arsenal won the cup at the death when Alan Sunderland turned in Graham Rix’s cross and the final went into FA Cup folklore.

“I actually shed a few tears when we got beat in the 1979 FA Cup final,” said Coughlan.

“I was only a little nipper and my dad would tell me. I had to wait until ’83 for the replay against Brighton to see United lift a trophy for the first time.

“Then ’85 and the Norman Whiteside goal against Everton. All those memories, the cup runs and the success they’ve had. That was growing up as a kid.”

Coughlan began his career in England at Blackburn – “I played against the Nevilles, Giggs and Beckham in the reserves when they were coming through the system” – and by his own admission was “not good enough to play in the Premier League”.

The tough-tackling defender played over 500 games for clubs including Plymouth, Rotherham, Sheffield Wednesday and Shrewsbury, and arrived at Newport following managerial spells at Bristol Rovers and Mansfield.

With Newport on the brink of being bought by former Swansea owner Huw Jenkins, Coughlan is aware