TRIUMPHANT Kirkham and Wesham expect to bank £75,000 from the biggest day of their lives – after splashing out £18,000-£20,000 on a weekend to remember.
While beaten opponents Lowestoft settled for Saturday night at the Premier Lodge two miles from Wembley, Kirkham pampered their players with three nights at an exclusive five-star hotel in its own grounds near Luton.
"We've looked after our lads lik
e Premiership stars. Manchester United and Chelsea couldn't have had a better place than this," said president David Haythornthwaite.
Hiring an England coach, using the Bisham Abbey sports centre for training, laying on a lavish celebration dinner and providing a coach for families formed the rest of the spending spree.
Enjoy
"We got £7,000 for winning the semi-final and knew there was a further £10,000 even if we lost the final so myself and chairman Dai Davis decided we'd put the prize money back in and make it a weekend everyone would enjoy.
"We estimate getting about £60,000 from yesterday's gate and we've probably made £15,000 from merchandising and corporate hospitality.
"We felt if we treated the players like professionals and prepared right we'd get it back on the field.
"Starting with Crowborough in the fifth round, we said we'd give the Vase a real go and it was the job of Dai and myself to make sure things were planned properly off the field.
"People say Wembley's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity at our level but I hope we're back one day.
"However, you have to treat it as a one-off and live the day to the full so we've tried to make everybody feel they're at a professional club."
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