Cup money not to be spent on players

[DansViews]

Stoke chief executive Tony Scholes says the club will pocket at least £250,000 from their FA Cup glamour tie with Newcastle United ... but the cash will not be spent on new players.

The third-round clash will be shown live on the BBC on January 6, kick-off 6pm, and will earn Stoke £150,000 in television revenue alone.

Stoke will also receive 45 per cent of gate receipts on what is hoped to be a bumper crowd at the Britannia Stadium.



Scholes said: "If we get a gate of at least 20,000, at the average ticket price and taking VAT into account, we will be looking at making around £100,000 on top of the TV money."

However, the £250,000 windfall could rise sharply if the Potters win through to the fourth round as they will pick up an extra £40,000 in prize money, plus the profit from any other commercial spin-offs.

However, the final total is likely to dwarfed by the amount raised the last time top-flight opposition played Stoke in the FA Cup at the Britannia.

Their 2-0 defeat by Chelsea in a fifth-round FA Cup tie at the Brit in February 2003 brought in about £400,000, made up of 40 per cent of the 26,615 gate and £265,000 in TV revenue.

Contesting the less-lucrative third round, Stoke will collect £115,000 less in TV money this time around, making up a large slice of the shortfall.

With the club currently leaking millions of pounds a year, Scholes said the additional funds will not alter Stoke's spending plans in January.

He explained: "We lose £3 million a year and the FA Cup money will be spent in certain areas as part of our budget.

"But the amount is not sufficient to make a difference to our plans. The chairman, Peter Coates, has already put aside spending money to improve the squad."

City boss Tony Pulis saw Stoke's reserves lose 2-0 to Walsall in a Pontin's League game at Lyme Valley Stadium yesterday as he ran his eye over a number of first-team fringe players.

Gabriel Zakuani, Anthony Pulis and Lewis Buxton were hoping to play themselves into contention for Sunday's visit of Championship leaders Watford as Ryan Shawcross and John Eustace are suspended and Andy Wilkinson is injured.

Zakuani, who was substituted at half-time, is a strong favourite to fill in for Shawcross at centre-back.

Pulis said: "If Zakuani is needed, he is ready to play. But we will look at our options towards the end of the week.

[oatcakemate]

Like he says we have money aside for tranfers and all clubs budget with money coming from cup games

Got no arguments meself

[soicowboy]

Can't see the problem as you say oatcakemate



Easy to forget the club are losing money every week and has to be budgeted for



When we played Arsenal folk were asking where the money went etc etc- running costs are easily forgotten

[DansViews]

I aint complaining.. im just putting the article on here lol

[soicowboy]

Didn't think for a minute you were BEB- as the article says we have a budget set aside- let's hope it's a nice juicy figure

[oatcakemate]

boothenendbrit said:

I aint complaining.. im just putting the article on here lol

Yeah mate, just saying thats all

[LH_SCFC]

Quit your moaning and complaining

[banburypotter]

perhaps we will buy a new scoreboard

[Anto1962]

I think that's fair enough, it's already been documented that we have money to spend on players and any extra money we get between now and spending it will just add to the club's coffers.

[A-teen_six_T3]

Just a quick question


45% of gate reciepts
Take it castle will get a percentage, where does the rest go, whats the breakdown
Take t policing, stewarding?

[bogus]

The FA.

Newcastle and Stoke have equal shares.

[Jimbo]

As stated, if we've got a transfer budget and the club's losing every week then the FA Cup money needs to go into running costs. The only questionable part of the article is we apparently have money to spend!