Oldham Athletic’s three seasons outside the EFL have come at a cost of £7.5million to the Boundary Park club.
CEO Darren Royle estimates income will rise by £2.5million each year in the EFL if they manage to overcome Southend United in tomorrow’s Vanarama National League play-off final.
That comes increased ticket sales, more away fans, solidarity payments from the EFL and enhanced sponsorship deals.
On top of that will be a six-figure payout for their first Wembley appearance in 31 years.
It has been estimated gate receipts for tomorrow’s match, which is expected to be a play-off record of about 50,000, will top £1million.
Royle explained Latics will only get a fraction of that as the money is split three ways between both clubs and the National League whose portion will be distributed to member clubs.
Latics will also make a sizeable sum from special Wembley merchandise sold to the 21,000 who will make the trip to the final.
Royle praised club staff for working “tirelessly” in the build-up to the big day.
He said: “We are building the club back up and Wembley has been as big test for the staff who have never been involved in anything like this before. They have been wonderful.
“It was made more complicated because we took on ticketing because we wanted to ensure season-ticket holders were given priority.
“It has been made more difficult because of the well-documented issues with the ticket allocation [reduced because Wembley Park underground station is closed for essential maintenance work].
“Everyone who wanted to go to the match has got a ticket, and that is the main thing.”
The scenes outside Boundary Park were often reminiscent to 1990 and 1994, their two other Wembley appearances, with lengthy queues snaking from the ticket office.
Joe Royle, manager at that time, remembers in 1990 there were often two queues snaking up Sheepfoot Lane – one for the Littlewoods Cup matches and the second for the FA Cup after reaching the semi-finals.
Royle jnr praised local MP’s Debbie Abrahams and Jim McMahon, London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham who all lobbied on the club’s behalf for an increased ticket allocation.
The spirit of 1990 and 1994 will be rekindled this time around.
Joe Royle, manager of those two occasions, will be attending, despite the 76-year-old struggling with rheumatoid arthritis.
And four of the directors from that era – David Brierley, Peter Chadwick, Derek Taylor and Norman Holden – will be reunited along with Alan Hardy who was commercial manager at that time and later became CEO.