Collapse cost Oxford United up to £150,000, says Lenagan (From Oxford Mail)

Collapse cost Oxford United up to £150,000, says Lenagan

8:00am Tuesday 13th May 2014 in Headlines By David Pritchard , Chief Sports Reporter covering Oxford United. Follow us on twitter: @oxfordmailoufc. Call me on 01865 425458

Missing out on the Sky Bet League Two play-offs has cost Oxford United up to £150,000, according to chairman Ian Lenagan.

The semi-finals continued last night with York City losing 1-0 at home to Fleetwood Town in their first leg, but despite spending eight months of the season in the top seven, a terrible finish saw the U’s miss out to finish eighth.

A successful play-off campaign will be worth a six-figure sum for the winners at Wembley on May 26.

United have lost more than £1m in each of the last two years.

But while Lenagan, speaking last month before the side’s fate was sealed, admitted it would have been a useful injection, the failure will not have a significant impact on the club’s finances.

He said: “It depends if you win them or not, but financially it would probably be worth somewhere between £50,000-£150,000.

“It’s not as good as the Conference, because you don’t get the same share in the Football League.

“I think in the Conference you get your own home attendance and then 25 per cent of the final game.

“But in the Football League 50 per cent of the contribution from the play-offs goes towards all the clubs in the Football League, and the other 50 per cent goes to the play-off competitors.

“I’m not being blasé about it by any means because it hurts every time I write a cheque, but it’s not significant in as much as, is it make-or-break?”