Steve Cotterill: FA Cup prize cash can be Shrewsbury window boost

Town face League Two strugglers Carlisle United at Brunton Park tomorrow as they aim to qualify for the third round for the fifth season in a row and sixth in seven attempts.

Shrewsbury have already pocketed more than £72,000 in prize money and broadcast fees after beating non-league Stratford Town live on TV in round one. Should they overcome the Blues the club will be £111,629 better off for the Cup run.

Cotterill paid the utmost respect to Carlisle and insists he is not thinking about a possible third round draw yet, with his full focus on the Cumbrians. But he admits the competition’s prize money could have a say in January recruitment as well as general maintenance and improvement around Montgomery Waters Meadow and Sundorne Castle training ground.

“I am bothered about it, because the more money we could potentially gain through Cup competition, allows potentially me to have a little bit more on my budget,” Cotterill said. “So I think that is what it’s all about.

“We’ve made however many thousands being on the TV and going through the rounds, that could potentially go into the pot or go to pay to some of the things that I’ve had done at the training ground.

“Sometimes it’ll pay for those improvements, I’ve wanted the pitches better here, we spent a lot of money on them in the summer and more will be spent this summer.

“The new goals that we have, we don’t have rusty old things with dirty old nets, it all looks nice and appetising out there for players when they come in and want to play football in the morning.

“The new tower built, so we can film games where the analysis don’t get soaking wet and have to rub the camera every five minutes, all of those improvements.

“Everything has been painted and decorated throughout here, it’s all nice and clean, sharp and tidy, all of those don’t come for nothing.

“I understand it, I’ve managed bigger and smaller clubs than Shrewsbury. They say look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves.

“I don’t think about the money (yet), I might think about it afterwards, should you progress, then you want to think about it. But beforehand, no chance, just the game we have to be focused on.”

Cotterill insisted it would be ‘foolish’ to think about a possible plum round three draw ahead of the trip to Cumbria. He added: “I don’t mean to keep batting it back, but that third round means nothing at this moment, because if you don’t deal with the second round then the third round is never there.”

Town are looking for their first back-to-back wins of the season with improved form having seen them lose just twice in seven games.