WITH £72,000 to come from this evening’s live TV coverage, and a few thousand added to the balance sheet from four previous FA Cup wins this season, the budget at Blyth is being transformed.

The winners of tonight’s game at Hartlepool will also claim £27,000 in prize money. Pools will welcome the funds to add to Paul Murray’s January transfer budget as he tries to keep Pools out of the bottom two spots in the Football League.

For Spartans chairman Tony Platten, however, the boost is a game-changer.

“The money aspect transforms the club for the season really,’’ he said.

“If we are fortunate enough to win, we already have pocketed the equivalent of the entire budget for the season. That’s the difference, that’s what the FA Cup can bring to a non league team.

“We have discussed what we will do and hopefully it will take us towards promotion. We have games in hand, but we aim to keep pushing on.

“We have just signed a new 99-year lease on Croft Park and we have to maintain the ground, so some of the money will go towards that.’’

Platten’s players will travel together and have a pre-match meal in Durham this afternoon before heading to Victoria Park.

“The FA Cup means everything, and gives a huge boost to the players and some of them have an affinity with Hartlepool.’’ he said.

“You need that bit of luck, we could have been beaten in a couple of other ties, but we had that luck and here we are looking forward to Friday.

“I just hope the players can give non-league supporters up and down the country can provide the surprise that I know everyone wants.’’

However, with success for non-league sides comes the possibility of losing players. Spartans have a squad of footballers who want to get into the full-time game, either for the first or second time.

And Platten won’t stop anyone achieving their dream.

“Getting this far means scouts are coming to watch our players,’’ he said. “Some of these guys could easily push on and enhance their own careers, we would never stop a player moving on.

“We encourage the players to play at the highest level possible. As a non league club you can only have so many players on contract because it’s a fine balance.’’

Blyth beat Altringham comprehensively in round one, a team from a division above. Wade and Co watched Warrington, a level below Spartans, beat Exeter, of League Two, on television in the last round.

And boss Tom Wade said: “It’s about desire and wanting to win the game. The Hartlepool pitch is very good, which suits us. We take heart from all non-league sides and we have embraced this game and the build-up for non league football, to help raise its profile.’’