That’s not a sob story, it is what it is in League Two and a lot of League One clubs.
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Spurs head to south Wales for County’s first FA Cup fourth-round tie since 1979, with the Rodney Parade pitch showing the effects of Newport and two rugby teams playing on it during a gruelling winter.
Fans have been streaming into the League Two club’s ground already, clearly excited about the visit of their multi-millionaire opponents but will they be quite so happy about their day come the end of the match?
Newport will be facing Tottenham for the first time since consecutive FA Cup meetings in 1959 and 1960, with Spurs winning both games, scoring four in each.
The hosts should have made the dream start on three minutes, but Frank Nouble wildly blazed over from 15 yards before captain Joss Labadie robbed Victor Wanyama and tested Michel Vorm’s handling from range.
Spurs appeared to get to grips with Newport as the half progressed and Kane forced Joe Day into a smart stop in the 32nd minute.
However, it was Newport who took the lead in the 38th minute through forward Padraig Amond, heading home a Robbie Willmott cross from the right.
A half time switch with Heung-Min Son coming in for Walker-Peters gave Spurs a better balance, and as Newport exhausted, Spurs gained a modicum of control but still found the massed ranks of men in gold shirts tricky to break down.
And they held on under a barrage of Spurs pressure before Kane tapped home from a corner on 82 minutes.
Pochettino understandably decided against risking Erik Lamela and Serge Aurier, who had knocks, or Christian Eriksen – still recovering from a nasty virus – ahead of Manchester United’s visit on Wednesday.
Spurs’ first opportunity came in the 31st minute when Moussa Sissoko found space on the right flank and put in a low cross which found Harry Kane, but his attempt bounced off the woodwork.
Fortunate Spurs earn a replay: Pochettino experimented with a 3-5-2 formation, with Fernando Llorente and Kane leading the line, but it backfired on the Spurs boss and the visitors didn’t even manage to muster a shot on target in the first half. Harry Kane starts for the north London side as they look to make it through to the last 16.
Spurs have been linked with moves for Lucas Moura of Paris Saint-Germain and Bordeaux winger Malcom to boost their attacking options.
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The same player nearly doubled the advantage soon afterwards but his effort from a tight angle deflected narrowly wide with Spurs – who did not muster a first-half effort on target – again struggling in defence.
