SAM RICKETTS wants his players to write themselves into Wrexham’s FA Cup folklore by upsetting Newport County.

The Reds caused one of the biggest shocks in the competition’s history when they beat reigning top-flight champions Arsenal in 1992, having propped up the entire Football League the previous season.

Newport aren’t quite in Arsenal’s league, but Ricketts wants Wrexham to add the League Two side to the likes of Brentford, who have come unstuck against the Reds in recent years.

“There’s a huge history, everyone remembers Mickey Thomas’ goal,” said Ricketts.

“It is one of the most talked about, every year in the FA Cup it will get shown because of the goal and the upset.

“That is part of the club’s history. We have said to the players that is fantastic, it is why the club is as big as it is, but now this is their opportunity to try and put themselves in folklore.”

The game is being screened live by BT Sport and Ricketts added: “It is an opportunity for the players to showcase their talent on the national stage.

“It is a game which will be live on TV, it is a game which many people will take notice of and watch, and therefore it is an opportunity to showcase how good they are as individuals but more importantly as a team.”

Ricketts believes Wrexham have a good chance of winning and advancing to the third round, especially if they play as well as they have done this season to emerge as promotion contenders.

“We have started the season brilliantly well,” said Ricketts.

“We have lost three in 25 games which is excellent by anyone’s standards.

“We are doing well in the league and averaging virtually two points a game which is right up there with anyone in this country.

“We are buoyant knowing that we are capable of winning the game but they certainly come here as favourites.

“We have to trust ourselves and try to replicate our performance levels.”

Wrexham might be underdogs but Ricketts insists County boss Michael Flynn won’t be taking the Reds lightly and knows his side will have to work hard for victory.

“Newport won’t come here and think they can just turn up and win the game,” said Ricketts.

“That is where upsets happen. That is not their style, that is not their manager’s style.”

There is added spice with it being an all-Welsh tie and Wrexham losing 2-0 to Newport County when the sides last met in the 2013 Conference Premier play-off final at Wembley

The magic of the cup is not lost on Ricketts, who said: “It’s the FA Cup, the best club cup competition in the world and creates ties like this. It captures peoples’ imagination, an all-Welsh tie, north v south, it is definitely what the FA Cup is.

“Newport are doing really well in the league above us so they naturally come here expecting to win the game.

“But what we do know is that we are more than capable of putting an excellent performance in and with that comes a great chance of winning the game.”

And Ricketts insists that 2013 play-off final loss is banished to the history books.

“It is a rivalry that has come over the years, going back to that play-off final as much as anything,” said Ricketts.

“It is nothing to do with me, nothing to do with the current group of players, but as a club they won and got into the Football League and have stayed there ever since, and Wrexham unfortunately have stayed here as well.

“It is an opportunity to get one back on them.”

The winners will progress to the third round and a possible money-spinning tie against one of the Premier League giants.

Newport beat Leeds United on route to the fourth round last season and held Tottenham Hotspur to a home draw before losing the replay at Wembley.

“All the big clubs come into the next round and Newport found that out when they had Spurs,” added Ricketts.