Robinson eyeing cup cash bonus

'HUGE' CUP GAME BECKONS: Stephen Robinson

VICTORY tonight will give Athletic manager Stephen Robinson cash to spend next month, as he bids to drive the club away from danger.

As it stands, the only wiggle-room in the playing budget lies in shuffling out players on short-term contracts to bring new players in.

But a cash windfall that comes from progressing to the third round of the FA Cup - with a guaranteed £27,000 for winning tonight at Lincoln City - will hand Robinson additional funds.

And the bigger the fish that the club can manage to land in round three, should they get there, the better the striker that could be landed when the window re-opens next month.

"At the moment, I have nothing to spend in January," said Robinson, who takes a fully-fit squad to Sincil Bank tonight save for Mark Klok (calf), who is expected to be out for two weeks.

"Any money I spend in January will be based on people I take out and bring in.

"We have already spoken to the chairman (Simon Corney) and we know that if we get to the third round, it does change what we can do. It's huge for us as a club to get there. But we have to get there first.

"A big tie gives you a financial opportunity. Unfortunately, you don't get a striker that is scoring 50 goals a season and proven in League One for the money we are offering.

"But it could be the difference between paying someone £1,000 and £2,000 and maybe that's the difference between where we are and where we could be.

"But if you get a smaller team, it gives you the chance to progress, so it works both ways."

Athletic are currently under a transfer embargo, with ticket money owed to other clubs as well as loan fees.

Robinson has been assured this problem will be solved soon and stressed that for his players it has been a non-issue.

"As long as the players get paid, they don't really get involved with anything else," he added. "I think it's been made out to be more than it is and there are a lot of clubs at this level with similar problems.

"The embargo can be lifted as soon as we clear (the debts) and I have been assured it will be cleared.

"At the moment it doesn't affect me. I can't renew any contracts at the moment but players (on short-term deals) are still contracted to January 1, so I have already spoken to a couple I will keep and they are aware of that."

Athletic's manager is under no illusions about the strength on Lincoln and is aiming to make it a damp squib for the watching audience for a game broadcast live on BT Sport (7.45pm kick-off).

"They are a club on the up and they get bigger crowds than us," he said.

"But I believe we have got a lot of quality here not and enough to win the game.

"Let's be honest, the cameras are not there to see us.

"So we have to make sure we don't give them much to talk about going home."

Athletic (probable, 4-4-2): Ripley; Dummigan, Clarke, Burgess, Dunne; McLaughlin, Fane, Banks, Flynn; Ladapo, Mckay. Subs (from): Kettings, Law, Wilson, Reckord, Winchester, Green, Croft, Erwin, Osei, Jahraldo-Martin.