Cup run holds no fear for FC United (with video)

 Source: The FA

 By Richard Pitt - Tuesday, 09 November, 2010

Karl Marginson believes his side can compete with anyone.

Brighton & Hove Albion FC or Woking FC v FC United of Manchester
The FA Cup sponsored by E.ON
Second Round Proper
3pm, Saturday 27 November 2010
Winning clubs receive £27,000 from The FA's prize fund

FC United of Manchester manager Karl Marginson says his team "can go to any place without fear" after their dramatic win at League One Rochdale on Friday night.

The non-League side will travel to the winner of Brighton's replay with Woking and the manager has backed his players to show what they can do, whoever the opponents.

"Brighton will be a very tricky tie with them being top of League One and obviously Woking are a division above us as well so it's going to be tough," said Marginson.

"But after defeating Rochdale in the manner that we did we can go to any place really and not fear them.

"We've come this far and it's one of those football clichés but there's no pressure on us or on any of the players whatsoever so its one for us to go and enjoy again."

Marginson was speaking ahead of the side's first training session since their historic win, in which Michael Norton scored an injury time winner in front of the TV cameras.

"I'm seeing them tonight at training and I imagine there would have been a few sore heads," he said.

"I'll have to put some work in to get their feet back on the ground because we've got a game on Saturday so we need to refocus on that and then with the next round coming up, we'll get back into FA Cup mode again.

"The FA Cup helps in lots of different ways. It helps with confidence, and money is a huge aspect of it. The coverage and the media side of it are huge, promoting the club in a positive way and hopefully after the scenes on Friday we will have made our mark, not just for our fans but for other football fans seeing that fan-ownership and fans running a football club can really work."

FC United are owned by over 2,000 of their supporters after many Manchester United fans broke away in protest at the Glazers' ownership of the Old Trafford club and Marginson believes The FA Cup run only adds to the romance surrounding the newly-formed club.

"People see that we are run by real people for the good of, firstly the supporters, but also to a certain extent football in a wider context," he said.

"It's genuine, it's honest, and hopefully with our endeavours on Friday night we've made a few more friends as well."

And he was keen to express the importance of the finance The FA Cup has generated along the way.

"From Friday's game, each club receives £67,000 for being live so obviously that's a very welcome amount of money.

"We're looking to build our own ground so any money is more than welcome. We want to be challenging at the top of our league regularly, playing the right kind of football, keeping the fans coming back but the ultimate goal for us is to get our own ground.

"Once we've done that, then we'll look to challenge not only on the football pitch, but in the community. With a new ground, the things you can do in the community are exciting, that's a big part of what this club is about."

And on the prospect of a potential Third Round clash with Manchester United, Marginson was undecided.

"I don't know if it would be a dream or a nightmare. There's hard work to come first, but after that, Manchester City away or Liverpool away would be fantastic."