Chairman Lee Carter believes AFC Telford United’s Setanta Shield triumph can prove a catalyst for expanding the club’s already impressive support.

The Bucks beat Forest Green Rovers 3-0 on penalties in Thursday night’s goalless final, which was screened live on Setanta.

Eight hundred fans travelled to Gloucestershire to get behind their team, but pubs and bars around Telford were also packed with people watching the game on television, and Carter hopes it gives them the desire to come down to the New Bucks Head.

“I’ve been speaking to people in Telford and some of the pubs were pretty full with people getting excited about the club and jumping about,” he said.

“It’s an unbelievable profile for us. We couldn’t dream of this amount of profile – in the Conference Premier they get this week-in-week-out but we’ve never had a taste of it.

“I’m hoping that it’s put us in a few more minds in Telford and that they turn up to our last few home games and help us to promotion.”

The Bucks were this afternoon entertaining Redditch in an important Blue Square North clash as they look to consolidate their play-off place, before heading to Alfreton on Monday.

The aim now is very much to win promotion via a play-off final in May, which would surely top even the scenes of delight on Thursday.

“We’re on the up, but we’ve been saying that for five years,” added Carter.

“I think we’re all getting a little bit impatient to make sure we get to where we want to be, and make sure we have occasions like this every Saturday.

“That’s what we’re working towards and what we’re working hard for, and obviously the pennies that come from this will help us massively towards that.”

Carter also reserved special praise for manager Rob Smith and his assistant Larry Chambers for the job they have done in their three-and-a-bit years at AFC Telford.

By CHRIS HUDSON