Salford City’s Emirates FA Cup adventure has brought a plum tie and a Friday night sell-out, but manager Anthony Johnson is not too concerned by the pressure on his shoulders.
The Ammies’ story has been well documented, not least by a two-part BBC documentary.
The ‘Class of 92’ – Manchester United legends Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt – completed a takeover of the club last year.
Salford City v Notts County
The Emirates FA Cup
First Round Proper
7.55pm, Friday 6 November 2015
Moor Lane, Salford City FC
Live on BBC Two
Winning club to receive £18,000 from prize fund
FA live broadcast fee is £67,500 per club
After appointing Johnson and Bernard Morley as co-managers at the beginning of 2015, Salford have achieved promotion to the Northern Premier League Premier Division and reached the first round proper of the Emirates FA Cup.
A home tie with Notts County followed and Moor Lane will be packed to the rafters on Friday – tickets sold out in four hours – with the BBC cameras in town.
“It is massive for the local community and it is just a bit of a shame that the capacity is only 1,400,” said Johnson.
“I have no doubt that we could have sold 10,000 tickets. I just hope we can do ourselves justice.
“I booked two days off work, we have had that many videos to go through and reports to scour. You want to show them the respect they deserve by doing your homework.”
However, the joint manager is adamant that having the Class of 92 in the boardroom does not bring any added pressure.
FATV Focus on Salford City
“Just being able to pick their brains and talk to them about football – they are some of the greatest players this country has ever produced,” he said. “It is a brilliant place to be at the moment.
“They can’t put any more pressure on us than we put on ourselves. We expect to win every game we go into. We are winners and they understand that.
“We have been here nine or ten months, we have won the league and we are in the first round of The FA Cup. At the moment we are on the top of Everest.”
Standing between Salford and a second round tie is the oldest club in the Football League and winners of the 1894 edition of the Emirates FA Cup.
Among their ranks are two ex-colleagues of the Class of 92, former Manchester United duo Alan Smith and Roy Carroll.
Notts County goalkeeper Roy Carroll
And while Carroll would love to catch up with some old friends on Friday night, the Notts County goalkeeper admits the League Two outfit must remain focused.
“It depends who is there,” he said. “It’s a Friday night so Phil Neville is over in Valencia and the others are all doing TV now!
“It would be great if I could bump into a few of them – those boys looked after me when I was a young lad at Manchester United.
“It’s a very big day and they will be up for it. What we have done this week is prepare for the game properly. It’s a banana skin.
“I have played in these games before. We will be prepared for a battle, playing away from home on a Friday night.
“I think the pressure is always on the team who plays in the league, especially Notts County – the oldest club in the Football League.
“It’s a big chance for Salford City to get a big scalp.”
