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FA Cup fourth round: Manchester United replay thrills Cambridge United captain Tom Champion

Ryan Donaldson of Cambridge United celebrates with team-mate Tom Champion after the FA Cup Fourth Round match
Image: Tom Champion and Ryan Donaldson: Thrilled by replay

Cambridge United captain Tom Champion is understandably thrilled at earning an FA Cup replay against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

The League Two club held Louis van Gaal's big spenders to a 0-0 draw at The Abbey Stadium on Friday night to seal a lucrative clash at the Theatre of Dreams.

Champion said: "The boys can be proud of their performance and we've got a big reward to come playing at Old Trafford," Champion said.

"Thinking back to the days working in an office 9 till 5 and then being alongside those players is definitely surreal, but something I'll remember for the rest of my life.

"The (match) at Wembley to gain promotion back to the Football League was bigger, for what it meant to the club.

"Still a surreal feeling coming off the pitch with a result against a team full of world-class players. It's right up there."

Cambridge United winger Ryan Donaldson was similarly excited by the prospect of facing the 11-time FA Cup winners again and claimed the team felt 'comfortable' against a side that sit 76 places above them in the Football League.

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I didn't feel we were in too much trouble. They had a couple of chances, but I thought we were reasonably comfortable. I thought we deserved a draw.
Ryan Donaldson

Donaldson said: "We were under the cosh for almost all the second half, (but) we've got a good resilience about us.

"I didn't feel we were in too much trouble. They had a couple of chances, but I thought we were reasonably comfortable. I thought we deserved a draw."