Heybridge Swifts: The club whose cup runs could 'destroy' their season
Last updated on .From the section Football
"It means we can concentrate on the league." A phrase often uttered by managers after their team is knocked out of a cup competition.
But it is a cliche for a reason. Heybridge Swifts boss Jody Brown can only dream of being able to focus on his side's Isthmian League North Division fortunes - a staggering 17 cup matches this season mean the Essex club already have 12 games in hand on one rival.
They were the lowest-ranked team in the FA Cup first round and have achieved the same feat in the FA Trophy after beating another team from the league above, Kingstonian, 5-1 on Wednesday.
To add to that, runs in the Essex Senior Cup and Alan Turvey Trophy mean Heybridge have only played nine league fixtures as they enter December.
Cup fever has immersed Scraley Road all season, but now Brown has "cup fever" of a different kind.
"We're fighting for promotion and this is becoming a dangerous situation - it's going to hamper us massively," he told BBC Sport of his side's fixture backlog.
"As much as I want to win these games, you're now starting to look at it and thinking 'I'm looking forward to being out of the cup competitions'."
'It could destroy our league campaign'
Heybridge only stayed in the eighth tier of English football on the final day of last season, and won their first five league games this term.
They were top at that stage - but are now 16th after playing just four league fixtures since 9 September.
"It's going to be a long time now before we ever get back up towards the top three, so eventually I think it's going to have a huge negative impact," Brown added.
"Psychologically that's no good for you - it could destroy our league campaign."
Swifts have played more games against higher-division sides - 11- than they have clubs in their own division this term, and League Two Exeter are the only one of those clubs to have beaten them over 90 minutes.
Wednesday's FA Trophy third qualifying round replay win against Kingstonian - worth £6,000 in prize money - was Heybridge's ninth cup tie out of the past 10 matches, and victory means they will fall yet another game behind in the league as they visit National League South side Hampton & Richmond on 16 December.
"I've been told it's very close to us having to play Saturday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday at some stage this season," said Brown.
"Premier League players and elite athletes wouldn't do that - my team aren't elite athletes and we haven't got 20 sport scientists either.
"What I'd be disappointed with is if we look back in May and think the cup runs cost us our chance of going up."
'Life-changing' sums of money
Despite the complexities caused by their knockout successes, former Grays and Welling boss Brown would not change Heybridge's season for the world.
He estimates the prize money generated will cover the club's costs for three years, while last season's average gates of around 150 have risen by two-thirds as a result of the publicity.
"How could you ever turn down the scenarios the club has had this season?" he said.
"At step four level (three divisions below the National League) the money is life-changing for a football club.
"Long-serving supporters are already saying this is the best season in the club's history - I'm not sure about that, but that's what they're all saying."
With 37 league matches to play by the end of April and only five rounds separating them from an FA Trophy final, it is fair to say that either promotion or a Wembley appearance would confirm this campaign as Swifts' best in their 137-year existence.
