Gaining credit with fans beats accruing FA Cup cash – Phipps

League One United have been the surprise package of this season’s competition after knocking out top-flight duo Aston Villa and Fulham.

Promotion-chasing Nottingham Forest were also humbled by the Blades, who will face Charlton Athletic in the quarter-finals knowing that victory would clinch a trip to Wembley.

So far, the Blades have banked £382,500 in prize money from their run to the last eight along with £328,750 in television appearances fees.

The club will receive another £247,500 from BT Sport after the tie with the Addicks was selected for live transmission on Sunday, March 9.

A 45 per cent cut of gate receipts from United’s six ties – where crowds have ranged from 2,509 in the first round at Colchester United through to the 25,118 who saw Forest beaten at Bramall Lane in the last round – has further swelled coffers.

Reaching Wembley, however, would potentially more than double the income that the League One outfit has earned this term.

First, for winning in the quarter-finals the Blades would receive a further £360,000 in prize money.

Losing semi-finalists then receive an additional £450,000 (the winners get double that amount).

While there is no fee for being live on television, an FA spokesman last night estimated that the four clubs’ share will – once Wembley’s costs have been taken into account – be around £1m apiece.

Last season, Manchester City’s semi-final win over Chelsea was watched by 85,621 while Millwall’s defeat to eventual winners Wigan Athletic attracted an attendance of 62,335.

Victory over Charlton, therefore, would be a massive financial boost for a club that recorded a £4.6m loss in the last financial year to June, 2013.

However, Jim Phipps, principal adviser to Prince Abdullah bin Mosaad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, insisted the Cup run is about a lot more than money.

Speaking exclusively to the Yorkshire Post last night from Dubai, Phipps said: “It doesn’t take a genius to see we have made some extra money thanks to the Cup run and that is good news for the club.

“But it really isn’t about that. The excitement that our wins over Villa, Fulham and Forest caused far outweigh anything that has happened financially.

“To me, by far and away the greatest value of what has happened in the Cup has been the impact on the club itself.

“The negativity that was hanging over the club is clearing. That, to me, is the single most important thing.

“Our supporters are being given the chance to remember why they fell in love with the Blades in the first place, basically, why they became a fan of the club.

“That is great to see. As owners, giving fans that kind of thing is an obligation. We want the fans to re-connect with the club and this is helping that process.”

Like the Blades, Hull have done well financially out of their run to the quarter-finals – where the East Riding club will host Sunderland, also on Sunday, March 9, in front of the live ITV cameras.

Due to entering the Cup a couple of rounds later than United, the Tigers’ prize money to date totals £337,500 while they have earned £371,500 in broadcast fees.

With ITV screening the Sunderland tie live, Hull can look forward to an additional £247,500 from the broadcaster. A trip to Wembley would bring further funds into the KC coffers.

For a Premier League club, however, income from the Cup pales alongside the riches which come with being among the elite of English football.

Not so at Bramall Lane, though again Phipps, who has been a member of the United board since the Prince’s arrival in September, insists the financial benefits are secondary to the boost that the Blades have been given by the run to the last eight.

He said: “It is a great thing that is happening to the club. The most important thing is picking up enough points in the league and the FA Cup has helped enormously in that respect.

“Everything that has happened is testament to the lads and the gaffer. Nigel (Clough, manager) deserves terrific credit along with his coaching staff.

“They have really turned the club around by drawing the inner strength out of the players. We can see that in the results.

“The key to turning a club around is always driven by what happens on the pitch. There is another possible bonus in that what has happened this season should help player recruitment in the summer.

“If I was a young player and considering whether to join the Blades or another team, I would think back to what happened in the season that just finished and choose us. That will really help and set us up for next year.”

United’s March 9 tie with Charlton will kick-off at noon, while Hull will host Sunderland at 2pm.

Manchester City will host the holders on the same day, kick-off 4.05pm, in a reprise of last year’s final when Wigan caused a major surprise with their victory.

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