MACCLESFIELD TOWN may have just received a whopping great BBC Sport bounty but manager John Askey has told Oxford United they are more than welcome to continue with their new-found charitable side!
The League One club showed their class last weekend, telling Ryman Premier Merstham they can keep the U’s share of the gate receipts for their first round tie.
It’s not the last Oxford have seen of Non-League clubs in the competition and they were handed a tricky away tie at a Macc side who know how to scare the life out of Football League big boys.
Having defeated Cardiff City and then Swindon Town twice in the past few years, the Silkmen have also shaken Sheffield Wednesday and 2013 winners Wigan Athletic.
Last weekend’s 1-0 win at Walsall was just another to add to their list as fans found themselves in front of the box for another big draw.
That FA Cup pedigree has convinced TV bosses to do what they rarely have before and select the Cheshire side for live coverage – a club who really needs it will make £72,000 from the broadcast fee alone.
All in all the date will see National League Macc clear six figures but Askey said: “It’s a great moment for us. Oxford are one of the biggest clubs in the draw but it’s not the tie we wanted.
“I said before we want a lesser team to enhance our chances of getting into round three – there’s where a bit of luck can totally change a club with Old Trafford, Anfield and so on a possible prize.
“But it’s still a great tie. It’s a good one for TV and it’s good to have our recent record recognised, they feel there’s a chance of something happening. I remember when we beat Swindon at Moss Rose 4-0 three years ago. It could have been seven, and they were flying at the time.
“Oxford are clearly a big club. They were magnificent in giving Merstham their share of the gate receipts from the last game.
Tradition
“If they want to do the same at our place, they are more than welcome to! I don’t think they will but we won’t be complaining if they want to carry on that little tradition.”
How Macclesfield could do with a helping hand. The win against Walsall and the subsequent cash boost which was confirmed on Friday will go towards debt clearing.
“We’ve got a VAT bill that needs paying so this will ease the pressure,” he said. “We were having to consider going part-time recently but if we did that we may as well give up.
“We’ve always made the FA Cup a priority and for good reason. We have one of the lowest budgets in the league – we need all the help we can get.”
