Bumper pay day for Lewes

LEWES win over Mangotsfield United on Tuesday night guaranteed the club a bumper pay day, writes Brian Pollard.

Prize money of 20,000 for progressing into the FA Cup proper is a welcome addition to the 26,000 the club had already won for reaching the fourth qualifying stage of the competition.

The Rooks can also look forward to receiving 40 per cent of the gate money from their clash with Stoke City, which has been estimated at anything up to 45,000. Chairman Terry Parris said the money could be used on a number of projects, as well as paying off existing debts, but added that the priority for the club was to get the Dripping Pan ground up to league standard.

He said: 'Our prime project now is to build a new stand behind the far goal. We also want to improve the existing facilities, such as the existing stand and the club house.

'We have ongoing debts which we could look to pay off. As with most clubs of our size, we run at a loss every year and it would be helpful to get some debts out of the way. He said it was necessary to undertake some ground improvements in order to meet the minimum requirements of clubs claiming promotion through the Isthmian or Ryman league.

'We need to meet 'A and 'B grading levels to progress up the league, he said. The 'A grading is for clubs going into the Conference or Ryman Premier and 'B grading is for Ryman Division One. This is all coming into place under new FA proposals. I think clubs are going to have to spend a lot of money to come in line with that. We definitely will, and this cup run will help towards it.

He said that concrete plans for a new stand behind the far goal would have to be in place by spring next year if the club were to be allowed promotion into Ryman Division One that is assuming they finished this season as champions of Division Two. He said planning approval had already been granted for a covered stand with a capacity for 300 people, and said the next stage was to 'look at the construction of it. We ve got a deadline of March 28. We need to be seen to be getting on with it.

Other required improvements to the Dripping Pan, said Mr Parris, included the construction of new turnstiles for the far end of the ground, and improved floodlighting for the training facilities. He said he was also looking to buy a new team coach for the players, and was considering building a new tea bar and changing facilities in the area behind the club house.