by Jack Cook
Emirates FA Cup: Leyton Orient v Newport County
Date: Saturday November 7, 2020
Kick Off: 15:00
Venue: The Breyer Group Stadium, Leyton Orient
TOP of the table Newport County turn their attention to the FA Cup as they face off against fellow League two team Leyton Orient.
Newport County currently sit at the top of league two, but Mike Flynn’s side must now turn their attention to cup action.
Mike Flynn is no stranger to a cup run with Newport this year he reached the round of 16 in the EFL Cup, narrowly losing to Premier League side Newcastle on penalties.
He understands how important a good run is to a club like his.
“I know what the finances mean to the football club. I’m a big FA cup fan, I’ve said it a numerous amount of times even as a player, as a fan and as a manager, I really enjoy it.
“It’s hard we’ve got one or two injuries, we’re going to have to maybe freshen one or two up. I will be going to try and win the game.”
This is an extra special game between the two sides because of the mutual connection between Justin Edinburgh who sadly passed away last year at the age of 49. Edinburgh was the manager of Leyton Orient at the time of his death and also managed Newport in 2015.
“For the wrong reasons, it’s a nice fixture, I just wish he was here, I wish he was on the touchline and I was winding him up. It wouldn’t be just for the 90 minutes, I would have been winding him up on the Friday and the Sunday, especially if we won.”
Mike Flynn can look forward to potentially seeing two Newport County players playing for Wales, as goalkeeper Tom King and midfielder Josh Sheehan were named in Wales’s upcoming squad for the international break. It is the first time since 1983 two Newport County players have been called up to a Wales international squad.
🏴
Goalkeeper @tomking_ and midfielder @JoshSheehan_ have both been included in the @Cymru squad for the upcoming triple header.
👉https://t.co/Ii86lTcDIc#OneClubOneCounty pic.twitter.com/udtsFvmqnf
— Newport County AFC (@NewportCounty) November 5, 2020
“It’s an unbelievable achievement from both. I can’t remember the last time that Newport County had two players in a full Wales squad.
“It’s good for the football club as well. I’m delighted for the players, they have worked hard.”
It is Sheehan’s first international first team call up. The 25 year old, who started his career at Swansea City, was released by the Championship club, but a successful loan spell at Newport County saw the Welshman stay in south east Wales with the Exiles.
“He has had a bad injury,” explained Flynn.
“He was obviously let go by Swansea and I was able to keep him here and he is just getting better and better.
“He’s starting to fulfil his potential and there is no doubt that he can play higher than League Two.”
Despite Newport County’s position in the league, their last game saw them lose to Carlisle United 3-2. Flynn will want to forget that midweek defeat and get his side back on track with a win over Leyton Orient.
“I don’t get carried away when we win, and I don’t get down when we lose. There was no way in a million years that we were going to win every game for the rest of the season.
“There is a lot of tough games and if we are not at our best then it gives the opposition an advantage over us because we got to be at top form.
“We got to be looking to take the game to them and that was the frustrating thing, especially first half on Tuesday night, we didn’t do that.”
Newport County will be without many key players due to injuries, but Flynn hopes that other players can step up to the occasion.
“Probably not, that’s why we got more numbers – people have got to step in and step up.
“They’ve got to continue where the boys have got us to level wise and they’ve got a chance to put a marker down and say ‘hey I want to play in the league as well’.”
