BOSS Steve Claridge says a decent run in the FA Cup would allow him to spend in the transfer market.

The 50-year-old is still looking to bolster his thin squad following injuries and departures.

Reaching the semi-final of the FA Vase last season saw the Whites rake in £13,600 in prize money.

Their win in the previous round of the Cup saw them bank £1,925 with a further £3,000 up for grabs if they prevail at home to Brandon Mundy’s former club, Frome Town, on Saturday in the first qualifying round (3pm).

“Those thousands in the Vase went towards bringing in players that were covering all the injuries we had, come the end of the season,” Claridge told JounalSport.

“We didn’t make any money last year and we are not sitting here with thousands of pounds.

“There will be a time when we have to dip our hands into our pockets; make a good cup run and we can expand the budget a bit.

“I think you can go three rounds in the FA Cup and you get more money for the Vase semi-final.

“We didn’t make fortunes but we made enough to put enough back into the club.”

Claridge has already cast his eye on the opposition, who are from the league above in Southern Premier.

He paid a visit to the Special Effect Stadium two weeks ago where he watched The Robins defeat his former club Weymouth 2-0, and was impressed.

“They played very well the other night against Weymouth, they are a decent side,” he reflected.

“They will give us a real, real test and you’d like to think likewise we’ll do the same to them.”

The Whites enter the hotly-anticipated tie having won their last three league games moving into fifth in the table. And he hopes the high-flying Somerset outfit’s visit will attract a bumper crowd.

“We had 500 in the previous round, a fantastic turnout.

“When you think it’s 140 down on the first game of the season in the league, I’ve got no complaints so I’m really pleased with that and hopefully they’ve enjoyed themselves,” added Claridge.

“You’d like to think we’ve got 500 or 600 people who would like to come every week regardless."

“I can never understand the mentality of you have to be at the top for people to turn up to watch a game of football. We are not going to be at the top like we were last year, we are going to have peaks and troughs.

“We need you."

Bemerton Heath Harlequins are in action on Saturday, they travel to Southern Premier outfit Basingstoke Town (3pm).

LONG-SERVING Robbie Matthews, who has been unable to break into the starting XI, has announced on Facebook he is leaving after ten seasons.