Sporting Khalsa can bank on adding two extra zeroes to their normal gate when the Emirates FA Cup’s lowest-ranked surviving team go for glory against FC United of Manchester on Saturday.
And on the evidence so far, manager Ian Rowe is in no doubt his side will rise to the challenge – having already broken new ground many times this season.
Indeed, Sporting had not ventured past the preliminary round in their previous two FA Cup campaigns but this year, some five rounds later, they are on the brink of reaching the first round proper.
Sporting Khalsa v FC United of Manchester
The Emirates FA Cup
Fourth Round Qualifying
3pm, Saturday 24 October 2015
Aspray Arena, Sporting Khalsa
Winners receive £12,500 from prize fund
By Chris Bailey
Click here for fixtures
And the West Midlands club could hardly have hoped for a better tie than National League North’s FC United, whose crowds have regularly topped 3000 this year after moving into their new ground at Broadhurst Park.
FC United do not exactly travel light in numbers either and added to the fact that Sporting’s story has captured the imagination of the local community, Rowe is expecting a rocking Aspray Arena.
"Hard work and commitment has been what it’s taken and obviously we needed the draw to be kind – not that we’ve come up against weak opposition by any stretch, but the best we’ve played have only been a level above us," he said.
"But this type of game is new to our players – most weeks they play in front of one man and his dog!
"I think our lowest gate this season so far is 25 and we’re expecting 2,000 people at the game as FC United have told us they’re expecting to bring a four-figure support down.
"Some players might freeze, some people might thrive. I just hope that if we go out that we do it in the right manner and compete, and I’ve got no doubt in my mind we can do that.
"They dug deep against Spalding United in the last round to get this far and with the first round proper up for grabs, I know they’ll do so again.
"I’m going to have to try and pick a side knowing that I’ll be breaking the hearts of anyone who’s not picked in the starting 11.
"But it’s been a huge experience for everyone, we’ve picked up interest from the media including ITV, we’ve made use of spa facilities at a hotel and we trained with Wolves on Thursday. The support from the local community has been absolutely fantastic."
Sitting three divisions above their opponents, FC United may be the Goliath rather than the David of this particular story but they have already woven special FA Cup tales since their formation ten years ago.
Video highlights of FC United of Manchester's win at Rochdale in 2010
They reached the second round proper in 2010, beating Rochdale at Spotland before taking Brighton – both in League One at the time – to a replay.
Only Jerome Wright, Matty Wolfenden and Rochdale match-winner Michael Norton remain at the club from that season but one man who has been with FC United every step of the way is Karl Marginson.
Marginson remains the only manager in FC United’s history and he’s determined to help write another chapter of success in a landmark year for the club.
"We’ve got to approach this like any other game and with the respect they deserve, they’ve made a major achievement getting this far and they’ll be thinking there’s no reason why we can’t get into the first round," he explained.
"From the team that played against Rochdale, there are only a few lads who remain as we’ve had to strengthen to get promoted and to where we are now.
"It’s funny though, looking back at that run we probably beat Rochdale with an understrength side due to injuries and we had a couple of players out of position.
"The lads have been dipping into the memory bank of those who were involved that day and we know what a special occasion this will be.
"This year has been a really good experience after promotion. This season was always going to be a fact-finding mission on how best to run the new ground on a daily basis through a mostly voluntary workforce – they are unbelievable."
