Marine life on the up again
SELDOM, if ever, has a club’s outlook been so transformed by a single FA Cup tie.
Marine were the non-League side known for the numbers on neighbouring fences so they knew which house to knock at when a clearance landed in a back garden.
Then last season Tottenham came to town for an FA Cup third-round tie between sides separated by a competition record 161 places on the English football ladder.
The small fry earned the respect of the big fish, despite losing 5-0.
Now a piece of Hollywood is coming to Crosby. Today’s fourth qualifying round date with Wrexham – owned by Sunset Boulevard royalty Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney – for a place in the first round proper is a 2,150 sell-out.
The magic of the Cup is all around manager Neil Young and chairman Paul Leary revels at a club refurbished and revitalised by last season’s revenue. Young said: “Instead of people laughing at the prospect of Gareth Bale knocking on a neighbour’s door and asking if Spurs can have their ball back, Marine are remembered for getting it right on the big day.
“We sold 32,000 virtual tickets for a game where fans were locked out by Covid – and put the £300,000 proceeds into sprucing up the clubhouse and installing a 4G pitch next summer.
“Attendances have more than doubled since the prelockdown season, we have a women’s team up and running and some northern-based Tottenham fans have adopted us as their second team.”
As well as the money from virtual tickets, Marine picked up £75,000 from live BBC coverage of the tie, £20,000 sponsorship from Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher and £20,000 more in prize money for reaching the third round.
They partner Liverpool, Everton and Tranmere in a Crimestoppers initiative to cut anti-social behaviour.
“The build-up to the game was phenomenal. When the draw was made, the place went mad,” said Young.
“My abiding memory will be the 25 minutes I spent talking to Jose Mourinho on the pitch before the game during the warm-up.
“He presented me with a Tottenham shirt – my name on the back, signed by him.
“I’m only sorry it was played behind closed doors because the chances of us reaching the third round and drawing a club like Tottenham again must be 1,000-1.”
FIVE substitutes will be permitted in the Carabao Cup for the rest of the season.
YOUNG LOVES MAGIC OF THE CUP
We got it right on the big day