WANDERERS are not scoffing at the riches on offer in the Papa John’s Trophy and will be seeking to put more money in the bank at Rochdale tomorrow night.

With a 100 per cent record in the group stage thus far, a point at Spotland would be enough to see the Whites progress to the second round.

The competition has been derided by many supporters for including Premier League Under-21s teams, and attendances remain low across the board.

But Wanderers chief executive Neil Hart admits a run to a Wembley final would do the bank balance no harm at all.

“We have done alright out of the Papa John’s Trophy from a prize money point of view because we have won two games,” he told The Bolton News.

“We would certainly not say no to a very good run in that competition.

“I was having a conversation with Ian Evatt a few weeks ago about it and he agrees that to say to the lads ‘hey, you can play in front of 30,000 Bolton fans at Wembley’ then it is an amazing experience, and great for the club commercially as well.

“There is no doubt at all that the league is our priority and I’ll let Ian talk about the football but I think the club feels we have a squad that can cope for more competitions and that has been proved with the way we have managed things already this season.”

The club have already pocketed a £20,000 participation fee and another £20,000 for the two victories they earned against Liverpool’s Under-21s and Port Vale.

The win bonus doubles in the next two rounds and reaches £50,000 for a win in the quarter finals and semi-finals, meaning Bolton could pocket more than a quarter of a million in prize money alone by reaching the final, excluding gate receipts.

Sunderland director Charlie Methven claimed the Black Cats made around £1million from their run to Wembley in 2019.

PRIZE MONEY ON OFFER

Each EFL club will receive a participation fee of £20,000 in addition to any prize money won throughout the competition:

  • Group Stage - £10,000 for a win, £5,000 for a draw
  • Round Two - £20,000 for a win
  • Round Three - £40,000 for a win
  • Quarter/Semi Final - £50,000 for a win
  • Runner-up - £50,000
  • Winner - £100,000