League focus

Simon Corney

FA Cup run means nothing if Latics go down — Corney
ATHLETIC have been warned that their FA Cup exploits will count for nothing if the club is relegated this season.

The club has banked more than £1million from its cup run - but chairman Simon Corney has played down the financial benefits.

He says at least five more wins from the season’s remaining 13 matches will be needed to avoid relegation.

“It is worth a lot of money to us, though a lot of cost is associated with it as well,” said Corney, who expects to know exactly the run’s value to the club when Everton’s returns are announced.

“We were going to survive with the money or without it. It’s a bonus and that is all it is.

“Now we have to focus on the league — and it means nothing if we go down. It was fantastic while it lasted, but now we move on.”

Caretaker manager Tony Philliskirk has so far kept Latics’ cup successes going in the league run, with three wins to lift Athletic out of the bottom-four.

Maintaining such form is increasingly vital given that relegation rivals Scunthorpe, Shrewsbury and Colchester have all experienced similar revivals.