Maidstone United vs Coventry City - what does the FA Cup fifth round mean for the Kent underdogs?

Maidstone United will take on Coventry City in the FA Cup this evening (Monday 26 February) as the lowest ranked team to reach the last-16 since the 1970s.

The non-league team will be playing against Coventry who are 94 places higher in the football pyramid in the 2023/24 Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round.

The Stones are the lowest ranked team to reach the last-16 of the competition since Blyth Spartans in 1977-78.

They'll travel to Championship side, Coventry, bidding for a place in the quarter-finals, playing at a stadium ten times the size of their own.

But what does the match mean for the club?

Earnings

Maidstone United have collected £351,375 in prize money alone. They have also earned extra from television revenue, sponsorship deals and gate receipts.

Maidstone United are heavy underdogs tonight.

Should they win, the Kent club will receive an additional £225,000 in prize money.

But the 4,800 fans believe they can win again and it's not unheard of. In 2016/2017, Lincoln City reached the quarter finals as a non-league club.

Top scorers

Maidstone and Coventry are the top scoring teams in the competition.

Maidstone scoring 14 goals in seven matches. Coventry have netted 11 in three, which included a replay against Sheffield Wednesday.

No matter the result tonight, whoever goes on to win the FA Cup this season, won’t have won more games in the competition than the Stones’ seven wins because they entered in the second qualifying round.

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