Shrewsbury boss Sam Ricketts says Jurgen Klopp’s controversial call to rest his Liverpool stars tonight has cost the League One club £500,000.
The League One club head to Anfield this evening for their FA Cup fourth-round replay after holding Liverpool 2-2 at New Meadow.
But neither Reds manager Klopp nor his star-studded Premier League leaders will be there as they are on their winter break, so Under-23 boss Neil Critchley is fielding a side.
Ticket prices have been slashed to £15 for adults and £1 for kids and the tie is not televised so the visitors also miss out on a £75,000 FA live broadcast fee per club.
Both clubs split the ticket revenues 45 per cent each with the FA taking the remaining 10 per cent but Shrewsbury now expect to only make about £100,000 to £150,000.
Asked about the impact, Ricketts said: “It is huge. The revenue is vitally important for a club like ours who are self-sustaining.
“For someone like us if we are playing Liverpool’s first team you are generating up to £600,000 as opposed to £100,000.
“At a club like ours every penny counts. That is the biggest disappointment that we will lack revenue.”
Shrewsbury made £1million from hosting Manchester United in a televised FA Cup tie in 2016 and built a new training ground with the cash.
Ricketts said: “Historically you would say Liverpool away would generate a lot but what we are going to get is very different.
“It is an opportunity to build something that lasts us for 10-15 years and is a real legacy. That money could make the pitches better or mean we can get one extra player.”
Klopp announced following the original tie that he and his stars would be missing from the replay after Jason Cummings came off the bench to salvage a draw.
Asked if Klopp apologised for his decision, Ricketts said: “He did to be fair. I spoke to Jurgen after the first game and we had a real good conversation for 20-30 minutes or so.
“He was very open. He explained his thinking and I fully understand it. If you are promised a winter break you deserve a winter break.”
Shrewsbury will at least have the chance of a bumper pay day if they are successful tonight as the victors travel to Chelsea in the next round.
The Shrewsbury boss added: “That would be the big revenue that potentially this Liverpool game would have been.”
