The real value of an FA Cup dream

 

AFC Rushden and Diamonds booked their place in the first round proper for the first time since re-forming with a 2-1 victory at home to former EFL side Morecambe

Every non-league club dreams of a significant FA Cup run.

Beyond the increased exposure, prize money and larger attendances can provide a crucial financial boost.

However, staging a major tie or organising an away trip brings its own challenges, meaning that a successful run can bring costs as well as rewards.

AFC Rushden & Diamonds are a key example of this. The Step 4 club from Northamptonshire were rewarded with a first round trip to League One Burton Albion after a 2-1 victory over Morecambe in the fourth qualifying round.

“It was our best day since forming, bar none,” chairman Rob Usher tells The Non-League Paper. “We had 12 days to get the ground ready – it's the hardest thing I've ever done as chairman, so it was an unbelievable feeling when the final whistle went.

“We had probably 1,000 people at the Morecambe game who don’t usually come to Hayden Road. If 10% of those fans come more regularly, that is game-changing.

“Every pound that comes through our club has been earned by volunteers or spent at the club by supporters – we don’t spend what we like.”

Under FA Cup rules, gate receipts are also shared equally between the clubs participating in a particular fixture, giving clubs another source of income beyond the competition's prize money.

Rather than relying on a cup run to balance the books, The Diamonds always plan for an early exit and treat any progress as an opportunity to strengthen their position – Usher says that prize money helps stabilise the club’s finances.

“We will always budget to get the bare minimum prize money for losing in the extra preliminary round of the FA Cup and round one of the FA Trophy – anything else is a bonus,” Usher explains.

“It’s great that, because of the prize money, players don’t have to leave and we can fulfil our aims of being competitive in the league.”

The financial stakes increase significantly in the first round, with eliminated clubs receiving £15,800 in prize money, compared with just over £47,000 for those progressing to the next round.

Now that AFC Rushden & Diamonds have been drawn away to Burton Albion, Usher’s focus has shifted to organising a large-scale away trip. He says that he hopes to secure a large allocation, which would require a significant number of supporters’ coaches.

“It's about ensuring that everybody who wants to come and support us has the opportunity to do it,” he says.

“We'll price it accordingly. It has to break even, but we don't need to make a profit on it.”

The experience of hosting Morecambe also highlighted the resources required to stage the tie safely – from hiring security and preparing the ground to coordinating with the police, fire service and local authorities.

Yet Usher believes the longer-term benefits can extend beyond the club itself.

“We partnered with the cricket club that adjoins our stadium; they let us use it as a car park and there were 300 fans in there having a beer – so they profit during their off-season,” he explains.

“People stay out and go to the local pubs, chippies and kebab shops. We're very proud to be an organisation that champions the town that we're in. And if they can all do well off the back of what we're achieving, then it's a huge win for everybody.”

However, the lasting value of the victory for Usher was measured in the reaction of the supporters.

“After the Braintree game [in the third qualifying round], people were coming up to me, shaking my hand and saying ‘well done’. After Morecambe, they were hugging me and saying ‘thank you’. And at that point, you realise what the club means to so many people.”