Maidstone’s FA Cup windfall won’t deter co-owners Terry Casey and Oliver Ash from seeking new investment to take the club to another level.

The Stones have earned £231,375 in prize money after reaching the fourth round of the competition.

They also have their share of gate receipts from six ties plus overseas TV revenue from the Stevenage game.

There’s a load more cash coming Maidstone’s way after drawing Ipswich Town away in the next round, with the Championship big guns averaging gates of almost 29,000, while there’s a good chance of UK television coverage.

Casey and Ash have been open to investment for several years and came close to selling the club a year ago.

They’re loving every minute of the FA Cup run but their position remains unchanged.

“We want someone to come into this football club, invest a lot of money and get us into the Football League,” said Casey.

“Oliver and I can’t do it but a new investor might be able to.

“The Stevenage game has been televised in 60 countries, apparently, so maybe some rich people in America might be looking and thinking ‘I’ll buy that club and take them into the Championship’ or something.

“Our position has never changed, almost from day one, because we can only generate so much money and profit.

“It’s almost a shame we have to replace the pitch this year because we would have had quite a lot of money in the coffers to do some other work around the ground.”

The FA Cup money has been a huge bonus for Maidstone, particularly with £200,000 required to replace their ageing 3G pitch which will be ripped up this summer after eight years’ use.

Casey said: “We’re working hard to keep the profits in the business so that we can switch the pitch over and carry on running a business where more money comes in than goes out, which is the general idea.

“When we do all out budgeting and our figures and our accounts we don’t factor in beating Stevenage and Barrow and getting effectively what is £170,000 for those two games alone.

“That doesn’t come into anything so it’s bonus money, very much so.”

Casey, meanwhile, is tipping manager George Elokobi for big things after his success at Maidstone.

The former Wolves defender had a tough start to management at the Gallagher Stadium after taking over a year ago, inheriting a side on their way out of the National League.

Opinion was divided on the terraces - something Elokobi knows only too well - but he’s proved the doubters wrong by leading the club on their best-ever FA Cup run and challenging for promotion in National League South.

Casey believes the 37-year-old will go far.

He said: “The three of us have to make decisions - Oliver, Bill (Williams, chief executive) and me - and I’ve never reflected on the decision to give George the job in any way other than thinking it was a good decision.

“I’m not always that confident about decisions I make but that was an excellent decision.

“He’s an exceptional man and if we go a little bit further in this cup there’ll be clubs after him.

“He’s got something special, that charisma. He understands the game and he understands people.

“Every day he makes history. Every day he does an interview which makes people realise he’s an extremely special young man.

“I’d imagine he’ll go a long way in the game and I hope he does. I don’t want to lose him but I know he’s going to go a long way.”

Casey couldn’t sleep for nerves before Maidstone took on Stevenage at the Gallagher on Saturday.

That was understandable, given everything at stake, but what unfolded was arguably the biggest day in the club’s history as Sam Corne’s penalty secured a place in round four.

“That’s the biggest day for Maidstone United Football Club - probably ever - and one of the biggest days in the town’s history, I would imagine,” said Casey.

“I felt sick. I couldn’t sleep on Friday night, or the night before.

“It’s the first time we’ve ever got to the fourth round and if you watched that as a neutral nobody could tell which was the League 1 team because in the first half we probably outplayed them.

“In the second half they got after us a little bit but we deserved everything we got.

“It’s amazing and it coincides with our need to find a shedload of new money for the benefit of the new pitch.

“It’s just wonderful what’s happened and I’m so pleased for everybody who works behind the scenes in the club as well because to get the game on was a massive operation, logistically.”

Maidstone are in National League South action at home to Dartford tonight (7.45pm).