IT IS debatable whether this week's announcement that next season's FA Cup prize fund is more than doubling will make any difference to what managers in the Premier League will do.

For example, the number of changes made by the 20 top-flight bosses to their starting line-ups for last weekend's third-round ties was a breathtaking 129 (almost six and a half players per side in old money).

The exact details of the proposed £30million three-year deal with Emirates Airlines has yet to be announced but the extra cash should have a massive effect lower down the scale.

Winners of the extra preliminary-round ties won £1,500 this year but could stand to benefit from over £3,000 in 2018-19 and so on.

Bradford Park Avenue manager Mark Bower, doubtless with the realisation that his club are one of the minnows when it comes to National League North finances, admitted: "If we have a big FA Cup tie coming up next season, I may have to rest some players from my league matches!"

With clubs in the National League performing so well in the FA Cup last season (Lincoln reached the quarter-finals and Sutton the last 16), you would have expected the highest non-League attendance last Saturday to be in the fifth tier – but not a bit of it.

The National League North match between Stockport and Salford attracted 5,002 fans to Edgeley Park, bettering the 4,242 who watched Wrexham v Torquay at the Racecourse Ground.

Bower said: "It just goes to show the interest in our division."

Avenue are at York City today and, while the Minstermen's first half of the league season was not what they – or probably anyone else – expected, Bower is expecting them to motor between now and May.

"They have experienced people in charge in manager Martin Gray, sporting director Dave Penney and coach Steve Torpey and it wouldn't surprise me if they weren't right up there at the end of the season," he said.

"They are a massive club to be playing at this level and were a Football League club only two seasons ago.

"Our 5-0 home defeat in August is still fresh in the memory and I know that applies to the players also, so we know that if our standards are not where they should be, we could be in for a long afternoon.

"But we have plenty of Football League experience in our dressing room and we have thrived at some of the bigger grounds this season. I'm sure our players will enjoy the bigger stage and produce a performance to match."

* FA Cup prize money 2017-18 (2018-19 figures expected to be more than double those listed): Extra preliminary round winners £1,500, preliminary round winners £1,925, first round qualifying winners £3,000, second round qualifying winners £4,500, third round qualifying winners £7,500, fourth round qualifying winners £12,500, first round winners £18,000, second round winners £27,000, third round winners £67,500, fourth round winners £90,000, fifth round winners £180,000, quarter-final winners £360,000, semi-final losers £450,000, semi-final winners £900,000, runners-up £900,000, winners £1,800,000.