That is how much the Lions could have earned had they managed to battle their way through from the Extra Preliminary Round to the First Round Proper – a stage the club have not reached for 45 years.

Indeed, it is 12 years since the Lions last played in the competition due to their membership of the Supreme Division of the Central Midlands League. The FA deciding in 1996 that the competition was too low for its member clubs to be accepted into the competition.

With the new dressing rooms at the Town Ground now nearing completion, Heanor Town officials and committee are exploring ways in which the proposed second stage of the building – committee rooms and hospitality area, etc – can be financed, and a run to the First Round Proper of the FA Cup would have gone a long way towards that.

Indeed, just two or three wins in the competition would have financed a down payment.

Little wonder then that clubs like Heanor Town feel that today’s game is geared more to financing the wealthy than helping out the minnows with the sponsorship of the FA Cup increasing for next season by a mammoth £6.7m to £16.4 which includes a £2m prize for the eventual winners and half that for the beaten finalists.

Life must go on though, and Heanor have announced further changes in time for the start of next season with the return of Andy Elks as Reserve team manager and Neil Tatham as his assistant.

Ben Snowdon will move into the administration area following these appointments giving club secretary Keith Costello some assistance.

The Lions have announced three more signings.

Adam Jackson and Danny Roberts have become the latest of last season’s talented youngsters to put pen to paper and they have been joined by ‘outsider’ Paddy Sneath from last season’s Supreme Division runners-up Radcliffe Olympic.

Sneath though was only a bit part player with the successful Notts side last season, being unable to gain a regular place in the first team starting line-up which hastened his departure from the Recreation Ground. But he is a more than talented striker.

Having spent some time with Notts County, during which time he made eight first team appearances, he joined Radcliffe during the second half of last season, but the club already had two strikers both of whom were friends of manager Jamie Brodie.