WINDOW IS OPEN FOR BULL BOYS
LEATHERHEAD manager Nikki Bull has told his players to seize the opportunity to put themselves in the ‘shop window’ by beating Hitchin Town in the FA Cup fourth qualifying round on Saturday.
The Tanners, renowed FA Cup giantkillers, overcame stubborn Hanwell Town 4-2 on penalties after a goalless draw last Tuesday to book their date against the Canaries.
It means they are just 90 minutes away from reaching the first round and potentially landing a plum tie against Football League opposition.
“It will be a massive day for the football club, a massive day for Hitchin,” said former Margate manager Bull. “Hitchin or Leatherhead will be in the first round and that’s what the magic of the cup is about.
“If you win, there’s the potential of a Sunderland or Charlton at home and that would be on the TV, there’s no doubt about it.
“We assembled a very young group of players in the summer with the hope of keeping them together for a couple of years, developing them and letting them reach their potential.
“A first round game would be a shop window for them. It’s focus, profile on the football club and that’s good for the players, for everyone.”
What’s also good this year is the cash rewards on offer. By knocking out Herne Bay, Haverhill Rovers and Hanwell, the Surrey club have already trousered £30,000 in prize money.
There’s another £25,000 on offer for the fourth qualifying round winners and the prospect of bigger rewards to come. The Bostik Premier can take a backseat for now. “It’ll be the fifth league game we’ve had postponed due to the cup run but, from the club’s point of view, you want to stay in the FA Cup as long as you can,” said the former Aldershot and Wycombe goalkeeper. “I know some people say it’s a distraction from the league – we’re falling down the table and we’ve got games in hand – but all our priority is the FA Cup. “There’s 25 grand on it, that’s the way I’m looking at it from the club’s point of view. It’s huge.
“It was 15 grand for beating Hanwell. It was really important and you don’t want to put the pressure on the players but for any NonLeague club 15 grand is a hell of a lot of money.
“There is so much wealth in the game now at the top level, but for us in the months of September and October you can earn £50£60,000, which is massive.”
To win at Southern Premier Central strugglers Hitchin, Bull will want his side to improve on their displays against Hanwell.
The Tanners, who reached the second round last term, needed a last-gasp Alfie Cue equaliser to earn a 1-1 home draw against the Geordies in the first game and were then indebted to keeper Zaki Oualah, who saved two penalties in the replay shoot-out.
The 36-year-old added: “In both games, we came up short of our own standards.
“With our young players, all we want them to do is express themselves and I don’t think we did that over the two games, but give Hanwell credit.”