Gulls hoping for big Cup pay-day

Alex Rowe's club is set to earn thousands from their FA Cup tie

Torquay United chairman Alex Rowe says the club will earn a sizable amount of money from Saturday's fourth round FA Cup tie with Coventry City.

The club, who won �75,000 for beating Blackpool in round three, would win �100,000 if they upset Coventry as well as �7,500 from TV highlights.

"We're also looking for a bigger share of gate receipts in excess of �40,000," Rowe told BBC South West.

And he says spin-off income for local businesses from a big crowd will go up.

"We expect Coventry City to bring a very vibrant away support and to be drinking in our pub in their numbers," added Rowe.

Coventry boss Chris Coleman hopes his team will be in vibrant form too.

Just as in the last round, when they avoided the banana skin of the last non-league team to reach the fifth round, Kidderminster Harriers, Coventry are again up against a former league side.

And they will tread especially warily given that Coventry still have memories of their Sutton United experience 20 years ago when, in their Premier League days, they were the last top flight side to bow out to a non-league side.

"It's the FA Cup," said Coleman. "This won't be the last season where there will be surprises so the message to our boys is make sure we are not the headlines.

"We are on a good run and we must not take our foot off the gas".