Kidderminster Harriers will take on West Ham in the pick of the FA Cup 's Fourth Round ties this weekend and they will be buoyed by the fact that the club and its local community is set to land a whopping £1.3million.
The National League North outfit rank more than 100 places below Saturday's Premier League opposition in the English football pyramid and have embarked on an epic journey to get to this stage.
The sixth-tier side have already won six matches within this season's competition, progressing from the 2nd Qualifying Round to the Fourth Round Proper.
And heading into the clash with the Hammers at the Aggborough Stadium, Harriers' heroic exploits are set to land the club and its local community a whopping windfall of over £1m.
An FA-commissioned financial and economic report into Kiddy's astonishing run has revealed the extent of the club's earnings.
According to the calculations of football finance experts Dr Rob Wilson and Dr Daniel Plumley from Sheffield Hallam University, Kidderminster Harriers have earned in excess of £500,000 from prize money and broadcast fees alone.
The FA Cup run has generated almost £800,000 for the local economy as a result of visitor spending, with the West Ham fixture amassing almost £300,000 alone.
The additional economic activity, generated by the FA Cup for Kidderminster Harriers and its local community, is the region of £1.27m.
Addressing the findings, Dr Rob Wilson noted: “The data clearly shows the transformational boost that Emirates FA Cup success can have on a club and a community.
"Kidderminster, much like Marine in 2021, Lincoln City in 2017 and countless other clubs over the years, show why the competition is as important as ever for clubs at all levels of the football pyramid in its 150th anniversary season.”
Join the debate! Can Kidderminster Harriers pull off another giant-killing and knock out West Ham on Saturday? Give us your verdict here.
The news will come as a significant boost for Harriers as they prepare for one of the biggest games in the club’s history against familiar opposition, having lost 1-0 to the Hammers in the same competition back in 1994.
Set to be broadcast live to more than 150 countries around the world, the impact of Saturday's match on the Worcestershire town, best known for its carpet industry, cannot be understated.
“We are preparing for one of the biggest clubs in the country coming to town, and it is massive for the community and the local area," Harriers manager Russ Penn acknowledged.
"Pubs around the town are sold out just for a ticket to watch the game on TV, and I’m getting texts from local businesses to say how they are benefiting. That is special."
Richard Lane, owner of Kidderminster Harriers and a local IT business owner, added: “It’s been an incredible Emirates FA Cup journey for the club this season and one that has really lifted the players, fans and the local community.
"There is no doubt that the economic boost from the team’s performances will be a massive help in ensuring the club can be self-sufficient for years to come, and that is the most important result for our fans."
The Carpetmen head into the high-profile clash in fine form having lost just one game in eight matches so far in 2022 and, following the slaying of Championship side Reading in the previous round, Penn is eyeing up another giant-killing this weekend.
"We have to believe that history can be made one day and let's hope it could be Saturday," Penn added. "We have given ourselves the opportunity to do that.
"Don't get me wrong we could get absolutely spanked and we will move on next week. On the other hand, we are an empty book to be scripted, so let's hope we can do that."
