• FA Cup

Pot of gold at the end of Boro rainbow for Harrogate

There was nothing to separate Harrogate Town and Hastings United in their first match © Getty Images

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Chairman Irving Weaver has revealed that Harrogate Town could be £300,000 better off if they emerge triumphant from their FA Cup second-round replay against Hastings United.

The reward will be a trip to Championship outfit Middlesbrough in the third round in January, a veritable glamour tie for either side - two of the lowest-ranked teams left in the competition.

"My take on it is even if we lose at Hastings, we will have made the top side of £140,000 from the competition," Irving told the Yorkshire Post. "If we win, there's another £27,000 on top and if we go to Middlesbrough and even lose, we are still talking £150,000 to £200,000 without taking TV money into consideration.

"Potentially, getting to Middlesbrough could be worth £300,000 to us in terms of the whole cup run, which would be absolutely amazing. I understand now just what a good cup run means. Our current run of eight cup matches has brought us significant revenue already and this Hastings game is topping this up. But the golden rainbow is Middlesbrough."

Town will be without suspended skipper Alan White, who as a former Boro trainee will be desperate to see his side progress.

"Alan is from Darlington, but also a Boro fan, having also played for them as a youngster and a young pro and it would be a great tie for him as well," Weaver said. "If we can travel up to Middlesbrough and play them, it would be fantastic for the club and the town.

"But we are not counting our chickens, although what an incentive there is at the end of it if we get past Hastings."

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