Newcastle United manager reveals owners boost ahead of record-breaking FA Cup fixture

Newcastle United Women manager Becky Langley has revealed her side are benefitting from having ‘a more professional feel’ as they prepare to break an FA Cup record this weekend.

Following the success of last season’s home game with their Alnwick Town counterparts, where a crowd of 22,134 made their way to St James Park, Langley and her players will get a second chance to shine when United’s home hosts their FA Cup second round clash with Barnsley on Sunday afternoon.

The tie represents another opportunities for the Langley’s squad to continue what has already been an impressive start to the season, with just two defeats in nine league games taking them to within a point of FA Women’s National League Division One North leaders Durham Cestria. Promotion to the Premier Division is high on the agenda for the campaign but an FA Cup run will provide excitement as Langley looks to deliver on the exciting plans put in place by the Magpies owners.

She told NUFC TV: “I think last year we were operating in a very grassroots approach - but then when the owners came on board they started to professionalise things. It was doing it with a staged approach so it felt right. Now we have gone into this season with a much more professional feel about everything.

“We’ve been given extra training sessions, we’ve got extra for facilities provision, we’ve got more professional staff on board to help everything with the girls’ game. Now we are aiming to really kick on this season, push to win that league and push to get through to the next round of the FA Cup. Times are exciting and I am just really happy to be a part of it.”

United secured their place in the second round with a hard-earned win at Hull City earlier this month. An opening goal from Georgia Gibson was cancelled out late in the tie but an extra-time strike from 17-year-old Becky Ferguson saw Langley’s side come through a severe test.

They already have a win against Barnsley to their name this season after Katie Barker netted the only goal of a league meeting between the two sides at Druid Park last month. United co-owner Mehrdad Ghodoussi has already thrown his support behind attempts to get a record-breaking attendance for Sunday’s FA Cup tie and has challenged United supporters to surpass the 35,000-mark. Langley promised any Magpies supporters making their way to St James Park that her side will ‘give everything’ as they look to continue their run in the competition.

“The FA Cup has always been a competition we have had great memories from,” she explained. “Last season we played at Salford City men’s ground and we were shovelling the snow of the pitch to make sure the fixture actually went ahead, so there were great memories from that.

“A couple of weeks ago, when we played Hull away, brilliant memories watching 17-year-old Becky Ferguson score the winning goal in extra-time that got us through to this round. We want to make sure that we get through this round so come out and support us and back the girls. I know we will give everything to get through.”

Tickets can be bought online via the club website here but will need to be collected from the box office between 9am and 4pm on Saturday and from 9am onwards on Sunday.

Tickets are priced at £3 for adults and £1 for concessions.