SALISBURY City director Stuart McGlashan has paid tribute to the magnificent teamwork - on and off the pitch - that made today's FA Cup tie so special.

Not only did Whites' players pull out all the stops to make the 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest a match to remember, but the whole occasion went off without a hitch.

"I don't think people realise how much work there is to do for a day like this," said McGlashan.

"The office staff have been answering phones non-stop and the ground staff have been out there seven days this week getting things ready.

"We hadn't realised how much health and safety work there was to do and we were still doing some of it on the morning of the match.

"It's been a big learning curve for a little family club like Salisbury to put on something like this."

Drawing a huge club like former European champions Forest was a culture shock to everyone at the Ray Mac.

"The first day was the hardest," McGlashan recalled. "We came in on the Monday and had until four o'clock in the afternoon to consult with the police, the FA, the local council and the health and safety people about putting the match on.

"We met the FA at 1.30 that afternoon and, by 3.45, we'd got the go-ahead to do it."

Salisbury had initially been given the nod for a 2,700 capacity but, after further negotiations with police, they were allowed to up it to 3,100 with some extra steps of terracing.

And looking around the packed stadium today, it barely seemed credible that little more than four years ago the club were on brink of going out of existence.

Whites had gone as far as penning a letter of resignation from the league but, as McGlashan recalled, a small oversight prevented disaster.

"Ken Cunningham-Brown had come in as manager and he actually sent in a resignation letter to the league, but it didn't go through because it didn't have the secretary's signature," he said.

"Then Nev (Neville Beal) and Dave Harrold came in to rescue the club and I joined later as a director.

"What's lovely about Salisbury is that it hasn't changed. We're still a good, family club and that's what makes it special."

For the best report, reaction and photos from Salisbury v Forest, don't miss tomorrow's Daily Echo.