Accrington Stanley's managing director has revealed how the League One club came away with a paltry £2.99 profit from an FA Cup tie this season.
In a stark illustration of the reality of lower league life, David Burgess tweeted a breakdown of money made and money paid out for Stanley's second-round tie against Barnet in November.
It showed that 1,532 paying spectators passed through the turnstiles of Accrington's Wham Stadium that afternoon for the visit of the National League side, bringing receipts of £11,016.
In addition, Stanley made £710 from 71 guests paying £10 each for executive packages in their 1968 lounge.
That takes the total to £11,726, or when VAT is deducted £9,771.66.
The second page showed the payments Stanley had to make from that amount. Gatemen and stewards were paid £4,154.37, there was £75 for use of floodlights and £400 to ensure medical provision.
Under the rules and regulations of the FA Cup, away teams are entitled to claim expenses from the host club for both travel and hotel accommodation.
Barnet did so, with £2,300 allocated for their travelling expenses and £2,836.30 for hotel rooms for their players and staff.
That left a 'balance for distribution' amounting to a a mere £5.99.
The rules state that prior to the third round of the FA Cup, net gate receipts are divided equally between the two clubs.
So that meant Barnet were entitled to half of that £5.99 - not to mention £5,139.30 in expenses - leaving Accrington with a final profit of just £2.99.
Burgess tweeted: 'For clarity - the FA Cup R2 gate receipts… @ASFCofficial came away with a grand total of £2.99 after all expenses - ticket prices £10 or less & no police charges…'
Fortunately, thanks to Ethan Hamilton's 84th-minute winner in the match, they received £67,000 in prize money.
Their reward was an away tie at another National League club, Boreham Wood, in the third round which ended in a 1-1 draw.
The replay at the Wham Stadium was scheduled for Tuesday night but has been postponed because of an unplayable pitch.
Stanley are 19th in League One, a point above the relegation zone, and have the second-lowest average attendance at 3,276, with only Forest Green's 3,042 lower this season.