Forest Green may be struggling in the Blue Square Premier but the club’s bank balance will be looking healthier after they beat Rochdale in the FA Cup at the weekend.
Their 2-0 triumph has set up a glamour tie at home against
Derby and manager Jim Harvey had his tongue firmly in his cheek when he claimed credit for guiding Rovers to the third round for the first time in their history.
“We’re a small club even at our level, and it’s a little bit of history we’ve made,” he said. “With the size of the budget that we have and the resources available, I think it’s a terrific achievement. It hasn’t been easy, but it’s because I’m very good at my job.”
Rovers have already creamed off in excess of £50,000 in prize money from their run to the last 64, and stand to earn substantially more depending on TV coverage and sponsorship of the tie.
Vice-chairman Colin Gardner has confirmed the game will definitely be played at the New Lawn on a date to be decided later this week, and he is expecting a 5,000-plus capacity all-ticket crowd.
“If you’re going to get drawn against anybody, and it’s not one of the top four away, then a home tie against a football club with pedigree like Derby County is the next best thing. I think it will take time for the magnitude of the achievement to sink in, but I’m immensely proud of (manager) Jim Harvey and the players.”
Celebrations continue in Histon
The celebrations are continuing long and hard in Histon after their historic win over Leeds.
Despite a foul-mouthed supporter unleashing a stream of blue language during Sunday lunchtime and a naked player in the dressing room, ITV will still have been happy at witnessing one of the biggest FA Cup shocks of all time.
And with the Stutes poised to take on
Swansea in Round Three then there is every chance the cameras will return for what skipper Mat Mitchell-King hopes will be another famous day.
“We’ve mixed it with one of the big boys now, and feel unstoppable at the moment,” he said after wins over Swindon and Leeds. “We’ve been rising above everything that people keep saying against us.
“We just hope we can keep it going. It’s one fairytale after another. It gets to one point and we get to the top of the league and people think maybe it's going to stop there. Then we get Leeds and beat them, so where it's going to stop no one knows. Long may it continue.”
Notts County replay
Kettering’s coffers will be boosted for the replay against
Notts County to the tune of £40,000 after Setanta Sports chose it for live coverage and they potentially face Unibond Premier outfit Eastwood Town in Round Three.
Whilst there may be little glamour in that for either side the lucrative rewards of a fourth round tie against League opposition is a huge fillip.
Setanta will also screen Blyth Spartans’ replay against Bournemouth and the Northumberland club will also have a potential money-spinner against Blackburn should they triumph.
No wonder they call it the magic of the FA Cup and whilst some clubs have tried to place it on the backburner, this is the competition that refused to die and with results like we have seen over the last weekend, it never will.
