Financial reward is the FA Cup prize for Torquay United

The FA CUP is an emotional business at the best of times, especially for hard-up lower division clubs.

The millionaires may have done their best to run the great old competition down, playing ‘reserve’ sides until they suddenly think they have a chance of winning the thing (writes Dave Thomas).

They even persuaded the Football Association to abandon replays from the First Round Proper, though they don’t join in until Round Three.

But at AFC Totton’s Snows Stadium this Saturday, you’ll be able to cut the tension with a proverbial knife, so high will the stakes feel.

All sensible owners put a big ‘Zero’ in the column reserved for Cup income.

But such is the weight of expectation around Torquay United – it’s an often underrated extra pressure on manager Paul Wotton and his players – that even a win this weekend is likely to generate more relief than pleasure.

It will be the other way round for Totton.

The words ‘Bishop’s Cleeve’ are bound to crop up again as Gulls fans set out on another long trip to Hampshire.

But there’s really no point labouring that uncomfortable point any more, for the obvious reason that it doesn’t improve United’s chances of beating Totton.

Of course, Torquay are pretty desperate to get through this tie, and another one or two after that if possible.

After all, they’ve reached the First Round Proper only four times since they were relegated from the Football League in 2014.

The prize money, which the FA have kept the same as last season, would help.

There’s £3,375 for the winners now, £5,625 in the Third Qualifier and £9,375 in the Fourth.

It’s if you can reach Round One that it starts to get really interesting - £45,000 there, £75,000 in Round Two etc plus gate receipts and possible TV coverage.

The Cup used to be dubbed as ‘a welcome break’ from league priorities, and a good run was always the icing on the cake of any season.

But it’s all become more serious, and potentially more toxic, than that now.

It almost certainly shouldn’t be that way. And it definitely doesn’t help.

Is this Saturday’s result more important than beating likely league rivals Ebbsfleet United at home seven days later?

After all, we know what United’s top priority is this season.

And it’s always worth a reminder that the best Torquay side most of us can remember lost at home to then non-League Burton Albion (1-2) in the First Round in 2003.

At Southend six memorable months later, they won the club’s first automatic promotion in 38 years.

Getting back into the National League may not quite compare with reaching League One, but I think I’d take something like that next Spring, wouldn’t you..?