Friday 9 November 2018 12:19, UK
Metropolitan Police manager Gavin Macpherson believes reaching a historic FA Cup second round could open a "whole new world of possibilities" for the club.
Met Police have defeated Cray Wanderers, Needham Market, Tiverton and National League outfit Havant and Waterlooville on their way to earning a first-round home tie against League Two side Newport on Saturday.
It is the fifth time that the seventh-tier side have reached the first round of the competition in their 99-year history, and Macpherson understands the magnitude of the occasion at Imber Court this weekend.
"It's a hive of activity. It is very different to a normal week," he told Press Association. "The enormity of the task is not lost on me or anyone at the club.
"There is an optimism, we have done very well in this year's competition but it is an enormous task, one we are not expected to pull off but we will try and give ourselves the best chance. We want to make history.
"The motivation is to go through because it will open up a whole new world of possibilities on and off the pitch. I look at what it could do for this football club. Thinking financially and for the players, it really is a game-changer."
The Met have never progressed to the second round and have not had a serving police officer in the squad for over six years but, due to their name, have had to deal with fans and players looking to get one over on 'the filth'.
Macpherson will have cup-tied players and injury knocks to contend with heading into one of the club's biggest matches in their history.
When asked if any of his squad will miss out due to work commitments, Macpherson said: "Well if they are then they haven't told me! We have got a lot of academy lads, there are electricians and estate agents. Our centre-forward has been one of the stadium managers for the Tottenham project and he has recently moved off to the Battersea Power Station.
"He would have preferred to stay at Tottenham because they are about six months behind I think. He has got quite an interesting job."
Portsmouth, winners of the competition in 2008, travel to National League Maidenhead in Saturday's early kick-off, while Hitchin Town host Solihull Moors.
Sutton take on Slough Town, Swindon host former Football League side York and Chorley face League One Doncaster in the pick of the first-round ties.
Friday, November 9
Haringey Borough vs AFC Wimbledon (7.55pm)
Saturday, November 10 (3pm kick-off unless stated)
Maidenhead vs Portsmouth (12.30pm)
Accrington Stanley vs Colchester United
Aldershot Town vs Bradford City
Barnsley vs Notts County
Bromley vs Peterborough United
Bury vs Dover Athletic
Chesterfield vs Billericay Town
Crewe Alexandra vs Carlisle United
Ebbsfleet United vs Cheltenham Town
Exeter City vs Blackpool
Gillingham vs Hartlepool
Grimsby Town vs MK Dons
Lincoln City vs Northampton Town
Luton Town vs Wycombe Wanderers
Maidstone United vs Macclesfield Town
Metropolitan Police vs Newport County
Morecambe vs Halifax
Oxford United vs Forest Green Rovers
Plymouth Argyle vs Stevenage
Rochdale vs Gateshead
Scunthorpe United vs Burton Albion
Southend United vs Crawley Town
Southport vs Boreham Wood
Sutton United vs Slough Town
Swindon Town vs York City
Torquay United vs Woking
Tranmere Rovers vs Oxford City
Walsall vs Coventry City
Yeovil Town vs Stockport County
Sunday, November 11 (12.45pm kick-off unless stated)
Alfreton Town vs Fleetwood Town
Barnet vs Bristol Rovers
Chorley vs Doncaster Rovers
Guiseley vs Cambridge United
Hitchin Town vs Solihull Moors
Mansfield Town vs Charlton Athletic
Shrewsbury vs Salford City
West-Super-Mare vs Wrexham
Port Vale vs Sunderland (2.30pm)
Monday, November 12
Hampton & Richmond Borough vs Oldham Athletic (7.45pm)