Stevenage chief executive talks of club being ‘on top of a wave’

STEVENAGE chief executive Bob Makin says there is a ‘fantastic feeling’ around the club after Boro were drawn to face Tottenham Hotspur in the fifth round of the FA Cup.

Stevenage knocked Notts County out of the cup last Saturday to book their place in the fifth round for the first time in their history and will now host Harry Redknapp’s Spurs for a place in the quarter-final on Sunday, February 19.

Makin told The Comet that the club had been inundated with phone calls and fans turning up at the club looking for tickets for the Tottenham game and added that there was a great feeling around the club.

“As you can imagine we’ve been inundated with phone calls and we’ve not got any work done,” joked Makin.

“On Monday we had people turning up trying to get tickets, Spurs supporters, but we did explain to them that we didn’t know what date the game would be on because we could hopefully be on TV but it’s now been agreed that we will be.

“An opportunity like that [being on TV] gives more credit and credence to what we’re achieving. We’ve been on top of this wave and we’re not going down yet.

“There is a fantastic feeling. The feeling around club is so good.

“Gary [Smith, the new manager] has come in, the boys are winning, and now this draw. I just hope it’s not a distraction from what we are trying to achieve in the league.”

Makin said the club had budgeted for one cup game this season.

Boro’s cup run to date has seen the club win in four rounds and make around �500,000, with �212,000 of that coming in TV revenue for the Stevenage versus Tottenham match after it was picked for live ITV1 coverage.

The club plans to build a new North Stand and has recently had plans approved to increase the number of car parking spaces in front of the West Stand.

Speaking about the revenue coming in to the club from the cup run, Makin said money would help Stevenage realise further redevelopment at the Lamex Stadium as the club does battle for a third successive promotion.

“We budgeted to win one cup game,” Makin said.

“With the extra income Phil’s [Wallace, the club chairman] first concern is to allow the manager a little bit more on his budget, and this particular time any additional unexpected funds will help towards redevelopment all around the club.”