CHIEF executive Alan Williams has pledged that Crawley’s FA Cup windfall will not be “frittered away.”

Williams estimates the club will have made more than £2m from their magnificent Cup run which ended with a 1-0 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday.

As well as 50% of the gate receipts from a crowd of 74,778, the club also received £248,000 for live TV coverage and other commercial spin-offs.

Williams insisted the money would be ring-fenced to help finance the development of the club, who are chasing promotion to the Football League.

He said: “We are probably looking at revenue of £1.5m plus from gate receipts alone and everything else might take us near to £2m.

“It is not going to be frittered away or taken out by any individuals. It is going to be ring-fenced to secure the club’s future and we will be sitting down when the dust has settled to see how we can invest it properly.”

Apart from not getting a deserved equaliser, Williams said Saturday was a perfect day for the club.

“Our fans were magnificent. They made more noise than United’s and I don’t think anyone will have gone home unhappy at what we achieved or the experience they have had,” he added.

“Sir Bobby Charlton said afterwards that we deserved a draw and he is right. The players did themselves, the club, their families and the town proud. It is the most amazing thing that we have been applauded off by Manchester United supporters at the end.

Reds are offering £5 admission to anyone with a ticket stub from the United game for tomorrow’s home match against Southport in the Blue Square Bet premier and hopes many of the 9,000 who were at Old Trafford will back their bid for promotion to the Football League.

“AFC Wimbledon are six points clear so that puts a bit more pressure on us and we need as many of those fans who were with us on Saturday to keep coming back,” added Williams.

“But the players are consummate professionals so getting back to the business in hand will be easy for them.”