Ammies fans say the magic of the FA Cup is still alive ahead of the club’s visit to Newport County this weekend.

The Salford squad travel to South Wales on Saturday, for their 1pm kick-off against an in-form County team, who top League Two.

With the consensus amongst more established clubs being that the Cup has lost its importance, Salford fans have been unanimous in their excitement for the competition.

Speaking on the Salford City FC Supporters Facebook Group, optimism across the board was high in the build-up to the weekend’s game, which will be played behind closed doors.

Fan Paul Lomas said in the Facebook group: “Love the FA cup and having a chance to reach the third round is awesome…

“A million miles from where we were a few years ago.”

That seemed to be a recurring theme amongst supporters; with progression to the third round allowing for opportunity to face the ‘big teams’ of English football, fans are hoping to be allowed back into grounds by the third round of the cup in January.

Fan Christopher McDaid said on Facebook: “Hopefully [we] get a big team to the Peninsula in round 3.”  He also predicted a “2-1 win this weekend against Newport County…

He added he’d love to see Salford face Manchester United or City, Liverpool or any top 10 prem side.

The equilibrium between cup progression and squad management is a struggle for every manager in the competition. Salford’s slightly depleted squad could face a few changes to the starting XI from Tuesday’s 2-1 victory against Morecambe:

“We currently have some injuries to some of our pivotal players which has unquestionably unbalanced our midfield.” According to Paul Andrew Turner, who remains positive about the squad depth. “I have been delighted by the performances of the players who have taken their opportunity to shine.”

A Salford player to look out for this weekend is 21-year-old Luke Burgess, a midfielder who fans have said has been a revelation in his past few appearances.

Having scored two goals in three appearances for the Ammies, including a Ryan Giggs-style solo effort against Bradford City, fans will be hoping the young midfielder gets a starting role in the FA cup this weekend.

Salford fans can watch their match against Newport County on the club’s website for a fee of £10 by clicking here.

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