NEWPORT County AFC have missed out on another TV windfall in the FA Cup but manager Michael Flynn is proud to have helped the club make up to £1.5million from the competition over the last 15 months.

County’s fourth-round tie at Middlesbrough was not selected for live coverage by the BBC or BT Sport and discussions with Boro over the potential for the match to be shown on BBC Wales or S4C came to nothing.

The match will therefore take place at the traditional time of 3pm on Saturday, January 26, at the Riverside Stadium.

Last season’s run to the fourth round, which ended in a narrow defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in a replay at Wembley, earned the Exiles an estimated £700,000.

And, after last week’s stunning victory over former Premier League champions Leicester City, the club have made £450,000 from the FA Cup prize fund and broadcast fees.

That is before taking into account revenue from the 4,143 crowd for the round-two replay against Wrexham and the 6,705 attendance last Sunday.

County will also take a share of the gate receipts on Teesside and Flynn knows how important that money is to his hometown club.

“We’ve probably made more out of the FA Cup in two seasons than we would in 10 seasons in the league, in terms of bonus money,” said the manager.

“It’s huge. It’s got to be knocking on £1.3million, maybe £1.5million that we’ve made in a [just over a] year for the football club.

“That’s not bad and it’s something I’m proud of, that I’ve been able to do that for the football club.

“And everyone connected with the club should be proud as well because I thought everything went right on Sunday, from the commercial side to the hospitality and the community visits.

“Everything seemed to go well and I haven’t heard one bad word about it.”

 

Asked if the club would be able to use some of the cup money to improve facilities, Flynn said: “I haven’t exactly got what I wanted [from last year’s windfall] but I’ll keep asking and keep trying.

“The list has got longer but I think more things are getting done now, so it might not take as long to get the list done.

“If you go and get one of the big boys away, that’s when you start thinking about the facilities,” he added.

“That’s when the game changes, or even if you get them at home and then go away.

“That’s when the money really comes in, but you’ve got to be lucky [with the draw].

“And it’s not every year that we’re going to have an FA Cup run.

“It took me a long time to have one and I know they don’t come around too often so I’m glad we were able to make some memories.

“I for one won’t be expecting a cup run every season. I’m not saying we can’t, but I’m a realist and everything needs to be right without depending on FA Cup games and I think it is.”

The victory over Leicester, which was watched by a peak audience of 5.3million on BBC One, put the manager and his players in the shop window.

Flynn has been linked to jobs at Shrewsbury Town and Bristol Rovers in recent months but he insists he is not looking to move on.

“Listen, if people come knocking then it means the football club are doing well and that’s the most important thing,” said the Exiles boss, who takes his side to Crewe Alexandra in League Two tomorrow.

“I’m happy here. Why wouldn’t I be? We’ve just pulled off one of the best results the club has ever had and we have the chance to kick-start the season again.”