IT’S been another tough week at the club and the players are relieved the tax bill is paid and the club is safe.

It was awful on Tuesday as everything seemed up in the air, there was no news and we all were obviously worried about the club and our jobs.

We were working hard in training but we couldn’t even look forward to the FA¿Cup game tomorrow as, in the back of our minds, we didn’t know if we would be playing or not.

I was the main point of call, being captain, with everyone wanting phone calls or texts if I heard anything so when the news finally came through that the debt had been paid there was a lot of relief. Let’s hope that’s the end of that now!

On the field, we can’t blame anyone but ourselves for failing to beat Grimsby last Friday night. I was absolutely gutted about the result as, 2-1 up with 30 seconds to go, you expect to win.

We had a good talk about the game in midweek and the gaffer said we have conceded late goals in six of our games.

They haven’t always cost us points but, when you look back, there was Chesterfield, Rotherham, Grimsby, Crewe, Aldershot and Queens Park Rangers.

For some reason, we switch off and the gaffer has been talking about hitting us in our pocket if we don’t concentrate when the board goes up. We need to eradicate it as we could be somewhere near the play-offs it we hadn’t conceded so many late goals.

But it is a break from the league with Salisbury in the FA¿Cup tomorrow. I think I am the only survivor from the Accrington team who made it to the third round in 2003 when we were on BBC and on Sky even though we didn’t get the biggest of draws with Huddersfield, Bournemouth and Colchester.

That kickstarted us going full-time and everything which happened after, so we know how much financially the cup can mean to a club.

And, even though we didn’t get the best of draws then, it’s the anticipation of being in the hat with the bigger clubs – these last five years it’s been a case of ignoring the draws as we haven’t been involved.

There is the attention that comes with a good cup run as well as the finances. Not so many years ago Burton Albion were playing at Old Trafford so we know it can be done - if we did that all our financial problems would be over! But we do have to make sure we get past the first round.

We know Salisbury will be up for it - we were when we were non-league and played a league side - and many Conference clubs are full-time and have a professional attitude and they will be looking to cause an upset so we will have to be strong.

Then we are three games away from Wembley when we face Bury in the JP Trophy on Tuesday night. And, with Leeds still in the competition, it’s still massive for us. It’s amazing to think we are so close to Wembley and we may never get a bigger chance - imagine Accrington Stanley at Wembley...

Two cups in four days - it’s a massive week for the club and hopefully we will hit the headlines for things on-the-field next week.

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