City pocketed less than £700 from pulling off the shock of the last round in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy.

They also do not expect to make anything from the northern area semi-final at Oldham on Tuesday.

The drama of City’s third successive penalty shoot-out win at Sheffield United last month was captured live on television. But the club’s reward from their share of the Bramall Lane gate receipts was minuscule.

Joint-chairman Mark Lawn said: “Once everything else was taken out, Bradford City got £691 from the crowd money. We did have our coach paid for but that was all the profit.

“That’s what it is like in the JP Trophy. It’s very difficult (financially) even when you get further on.

“We’ll be lucky if we break even at Oldham. You only make any money if you can get into the final.”

City, currently two rounds off Wembley, are aiming for the last four when they visit Boundary Park.

The Bantams have put their league struggles to one side to see off three higher-division JP Trophy opponents already – all on spot-kicks. But Lawn has warned to expect a tough test in Lancashire.

He said: “Everyone’s getting excited but let’s take it one game at a time. We’ve got to beat Oldham first and I think they are the best side left in the north.

“But it would be nice if we could win on penalties all the way through and then do the same in the final. That’s an unusual claim to fame that would never happen again!”

City could make it into the lucrative FA Cup third round this afternoon by beating Wimbledon at Valley Parade. But while the cups are proving a diversion from their uncomfortable league plight, Lawn insists that remains the priority.

He said: “Doing well in the cup ties can make a lot of difference but the most important thing to me is the next league game. We need to beat Plymouth Argyle.

“I’m never one of these who say you’re too good to go down. A lot of people said that about Nottingham Forest when they went out of the Premier League and it’s just not true.

“We can’t get over-confident but have to keep working hard and making sure we get ourselves out of trouble.

“There’s no doubt we are improving. I can see progress, certainly in the last two away games at Swindon and Gillingham.”