There was to be no FA Cup glory for Robin Hastie at Crabble on Sunday, just the normal mud and grass stains.

And that comes with the territory of being the Dover Athletic kit manager, a role Hastie has filled for 20 years.

So it came as no surprise that he could be found hard at work not long after the final whistle had blown to signal the end of Dover’s FA Cup campaign following the 4-0 loss against Premier League Crystal Palace.

Hastie said: “There’s so much stuff to be washed nowadays and so little time to get it all done.

“And I am not just talking about what they wear in the game, either. Each player has two sets of training gear, there’s also the towels and undies – everything is supplied. The players just need to turn up – with their boots, of course!

“It’s my job to make sure their every need is catered for and that can mean a pretty hectic week when you consider they now train three nights a week, too. That makes for plenty of washing – there is no question about that.

“I am just grateful my wife Barbara helps share the load.”

And it’s his desire to ensure manager Chris Kinnear’s squad want for nothing that sees Hastie lead almost a double life, in the amount of hours he devotes to Dover’s cause – almost 30 a week.

Hastie, a UK Border Force officer during the ‘day’, said he loved doing what he does for Dover.

But he would have loved it even more had Dover beaten Crystal Palace, or at least had a replay at Selhurst Park.

Had Whites earned a replay, it would have meant Hastie’s long-standing dream would have turned into reality.

He said: “My dream is to lay out our kit at a Premier League ground – that would be a truly amazing experience.

“I’ve done it (lay the kit out) at almost every other level, so a Premier League ground would really be the icing on the cake as far as I am concerned.

“I will just have to put that dream on hold for another year at least.

“But, saying that, we are still in the FA Trophy so I might get to do it at Wembley – that would really be something.”