NEWPORT County AFC boss Michael Flynn insists he won’t be resting anybody ahead of next week’s massive FA Cup showdown with Manchester City.

Flynn had to defend his team selection after being confronted by an angry travelling fan at Grimsby Town last Saturday.

The Exiles chief faced criticism for resting Mark O’Brien, Dan Butler and Padraig Amond as his side went down to a 3-0 defeat at Blundell Park to drop to 14th in League Two.

All three returned to the starting XI, along with Joe Day, Scot Bennett and Robbie Willmott, as Flynn’s men outclassed Championship outfit Middlesbrough in Tuesday’s cup replay.

And the manager is adamant that beating Boro vindicated his decisions at Grimsby, but he won’t be repeating the trick as County host Mansfield Town on Saturday and MK Dons on Tuesday.

“What I did on Saturday, I had to do,” he explained. “I had to rest a few players to make sure they could last, because I knew the conditions would be tough [against Boro].

“I won’t be doing that again. I had to do it this time because of what it meant to the football club.

“I’ll never put my own ego or my win ratio before the best interests of the football club.

“Because we knew what was at stake for the football club, I had to do that.

“So, for those who don’t quite get it, this football club is much more important than Michael Flynn or any other individual.

“And I think I’ve been proved right in the way they lasted in the game in tough conditions.”

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Flynn again reiterated his belief that the team he picked at Grimsby was good enough to get a positive result, but the financial rewards on offer for making the fifth round of the cup were more important.

“I did genuinely think I’d put a strong enough team out on Saturday to get something,” he said.

“We didn’t [get anything] and you get criticised, but I’ll always back myself. I did it for the right reasons.

“This was the big one for me. I was nervous about this one because I knew what it meant to the club, to the supporters and to the whole city.

“There’ll be no resting players before the Man City game.

“People have got to earn the right to get into the team now.”

County have now earned more than £1.2m from this season’s cup run.

“This result is huge for the football club and what this means is absolutely huge,” said Flynn.

“I think we’ve done over £2m now when you count last season as well, with the TV money, the advertising and the crowds.

“The window’s closed now, so we’ve done it too late,” he added. “But there should be a new contract done soon and I hope it gives me a bigger budget for next season.

“We’ve got to stick to our budgets but this secures the club’s financial future for the next few years. It is that big.

“I’m so proud to have delivered this for this football club. These are the best moments this club has ever had.”

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