National League Side Eastleigh Donates FA Cup Match Proceeds To North Leigh

National League side Eastleigh "donated the match proceeds" from its FA Cup final qualifying round win over North Leigh to its eighth-tier opponents, according to the BBC. The gesture was made by Spitfires Chair Stewart Donald, "whose company sponsors the Southern League Division One South and West club." Eastleigh, which reached the third round of the FA Cup last season, "won 6-0 in a game attended by 889 spectators." The club earned £12,500 ($15,230) prize money "for reaching the first round proper" (BBC, 10/16). The DAILY ECHO reported it was not "exactly an enjoyable afternoon for the North Leigh players." But the Oxfordshire club was "overwhelmed by the generosity" of Eastleigh. A North Leigh statement said, "Towards the end of the game, it was announced that the total receipts from the game would be donated to North Leigh by the chairman of Eastleigh FC. ... This wonderful gesture means our total receipts from FA competitions this season will total circa £25k" (DAILY ECHO, 10/16).