Lincoln chairman Bob Dorrian admits their FA Cup fairytale has prevented the club from teetering on the financial precipice and 'another season of toil'.
Since dropping out of the Football League in 2011 the Imps have struggled both on and off the field.
However, the appointment of Cowley brothers Danny and Nicky in May 2016 has sparked an upturn in fortunes at Sincil Bank, with Lincoln currently top of the Vanarama National League, in the quarter-finals of the FA Trophy and now the last eight of the FA Cup.
Saturday's 1-0 win at Premier League Burnley made the club at least £500,000 and a potential clash with giants Arsenal lies in wait for City if fellow non-League club Sutton fail to pull off another shock on Monday night.