Sutton United did themselves and the non leagues proud yesterday with their performance against Arsenal and they're being financially rewarded for their progress in the FA Cup and also by Arsenal.
The Surrey team did incredibly well to progress as far as they did in England's elite cup competition, starting their competition back in October in the fourth qualifying round and getting past league sides AFC Wimbledon and Leeds United on their way to facing Arsenal.
However last night was one step too far for them as Lucas Perez and Theo Walcott scored in a 2-0 win for the Premier League side. Sutton were never really out of the game though and even struck the crossbar.
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After the match Sutton manager Paul Doswell revealed to the London Evening Standard that their opposition have offered to donate £50k to the National League team:
"The reality is that Arsenal have been superb all the way through this. We think they're going to help us with the classroom, that's what we're trying.
"It's going to go into the community fund and they've promised us £50,000 and that will buy two classrooms.
"That is an amazing gesture from them and one we're very thankful for."
On top of the donation from Arsenal the Yellows have also picked up quite the windfall from getting so far in the FA Cup this year.
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The club's turnover is just £700k-a-year but their appearance in the fifth round of the cup has earned them around £1 million. And Doswell, who himself has put around £1 million in the club, also revealed that the money won't be spent on players:
"The money will be spent on 100 children, 16-18, on site. We'll buy new dressing rooms, new classrooms, all the toilets [will be fixed].
"Everything you could want your house to look like, we'll get it in order. It won't be spent on players."
It's a very classy gesture from the Premier League side who now face more non league opposition in the cup. They'll face Lincoln, who beat Burnley on Saturday, in the quarters and the Imps will get half of the Emirates gate money.
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Fair play to the Gunners!
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