Gateshead’s FA Cup run is not paying for the future but will pay off the success the club has had in the past, according to boss Alun Armstrong.
The Heed have clinched a spot in the top eight of the National League in each of the past two seasons.
However, their finances were tested coming into this season, during which they have stripped back their squad to a level Armstrong said was focused on remaining in the fifth tier.
“To go back to the start of the season, we knew what was coming. I knew everything was getting stripped back, that there would be a lack of staff, lack of funds to build a challenging squad,” Armstrong told BBC Radio Newcastle.
“It was a survival squad that we had to build, but I still think there’s a lot more in it.”
Armstrong arrived at the club in the summer after Carl Magnay resigned with the club missing out on a play-off spot.
Despite picking up just five wins from 21 National League games this term, Gateshead beat League One side AFC Wimbledon 2-0 away from home to set up Sunday’s tie against League Two promotion-chasers Walsall.
“We’ve got to get back on a level playing field. I used a phrase last night, buy now pay later. The pay later has come in and caught us up unfortunately,” Armstrong added.
“You can’t just keep hiding the bills under the carpet, so to speak. Someone’s got to pay them and eventually we’re paying them and this is what the cup run’s doing – it’s paying that.
“It’s not coming back to build the squad, it’s paying for the success that the club’s had in the past.”
