Exeter City Supporters’ Trust, which owns the League One club, has called on Manchester City to give a greater share of the gate receipts from Saturday’s FA Cup third-round tie.
It is estimated that Exeter will earn somewhere between £250,000 and £400,000 from the tie at Etihad Stadium.
Under FA Cup rules, gate money – after certain hosting costs are taken out – is split with 45% going to each side and the Football Association taking 10%.
But the trust has written to the seven-time FA Cup winners asking whether “they would consider voluntarily transferring a portion of their share of the matchday gate receipts”.
“It would have a tangible impact on their finances and would stand as a strong statement of solidarity with sustainable, fan-owned football,” a statement read.
Since last season replays have been scrapped from the first round onwards, meaning clubs such as Exeter do not get the chance of a second pay day should they earn a draw.
Last season, the Grecians were knocked out in the fourth round on penalties by Nottingham Forest, missing the chance of a lucrative replay at the City Ground having drawn 2-2 after extra time.
Exeter received a massive boost in 2005, when they were a non-league club with millions of pounds of debt, when Manchester United gave them all the gate receipts from their 0-0 third-round draw at Old Trafford, with the Premier League side progressing in a televised replay.
“We just wanted to flag up to the football world about how the smaller clubs can be penalised in the FA Cup now,” chairman Pete Ferlie told BBC Radio Devon.
The trust has put in further loans worth more than £600,000 this season after an overspend last year left the club with worrying debts.
They were then hit by a fire in November, which caused more than £100,000 worth of damage and led to a League One game being postponed on safety grounds.
“Money is tight at the moment, but we have worked our way through that,” added Ferlie.
“There are actions and plans being put in place to put the situation back on a more even keel.
“This extra money from the FA Cup helps, of course it does, but we would like to see a little bit more to really make sure that the summer is easier than it could be.”
