Chris Lepkowski shares how certain FA Cup result vs Wolves at The Hawthorns could benefit West Brom
Chris Lepkowski has outlined how West Brom could receive a financial boost should their FA Cup fourth-round tie with Wolves finish all square.
Albion host Black Country rivals Wolves at The Hawthorns next Sunday (28 January) in the first such fixture in front of fans in over a decade.
A sold-out ground will ensure West Brom receive some much-needed cash, but they could land even more if a replay is required at Molineux.
“From our point of view, drawing Wolves is a real bonus,” Lepkowski said on The Liquidator podcast [21 January, 12m 45s].
“To get a full house in what is traditionally a low-attendance fixture in the fourth round of the FA Cup is such a bonus.
“Dare I say, if we got a replay that would benefit us probably as well financially because of the gate receipts being shared.”
Co-host Adrian Goldberg added: “My understanding is in FA Cup games, the competing teams gets 45 per cent of the gate revenue each.
“So that would be 90 per cent combined, and then 10 per cent goes into a central pot for other teams to share.
“If we get 25,000 people in at £20 a head, that is a good pot of cash. Do it again 10 days later in a replay, and it really is worth the money.”
Every pound counts
West Brom will not enter next weekend’s showdown playing for a draw, of course, but it is a safety net of sorts if a replay is needed.
February is already pretty rammed in terms of Championship fixtures, so adding another fixture – two if we win the replay – is far from ideal.
At the same time, the Baggies are in a perilous financial state right now and every pound that can be brought in counts.
The funds a replay provide will not fund a new signing, but it will be unexpected cash that will help keep things ticking over.
Quite when new owners will be in place is anyone’s guess, so for the time being it is just a case of being careful financially speaking.
Still, if offered the chance now of a replay and the cash windfall that brings, or a scrappy 1-0 win in the initial tie, it is fair to say what everyone would take.
In other West Brom news, Jamie O’Hara hit back at an Albion fan after being reminded of what happened when he played in this fixture for Wolves.
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