Clive Cook is looking to pay back chairman Paul Markland when Hythe Town enter the FA Cup on Saturday.

Prize money of £1,925 is up for grabs in the preliminary round when the Cannons travel to Sittingbourne.

Town’s board have given Cook great financial backing since he took over last September, allowing the manager to build a squad capable of challenging for promotion.

Cook said: "We owe it to the football club to put on a decent display to get into the next round.

"I’d be disappointed to go out at the first hurdle because it’s the richest cup we’re in. There’s big prize money there, whatever round you’re in.

"Of course, you want to win the game for yourselves, but mainly for the chairman and the board of directors because they deserve it.

"They all work hard and it’d be nice to say thank you."

Cook knows exactly what a cup run could do for Hythe, having been Scott Porter’s assistant when Town made it all the way to the first round proper six seasons ago.

He said: "To little clubs like us, it’s massively important from a money perspective.

"It’s important to get two or three rounds under your belt and it brings attention to the football club.

"When we went to Hereford (in 2010), the attention of that cup run was massive and it highlighted the club."

Read the full story in the Folkestone & Hythe Express.