PAUL Mullin believes victory over QPR in the Carling Cup tonight could have a massive knock-on effect on Accrington Stanley’s ailing finances – but the club’s all-time leading goalscorer may not start the game.

Stanley travel to Loftus Road to face Championship opposition after a win over Walsall in the first round.

It is a tie that pits the Reds, currently attempting to pay off a £300,000 tax bill, against a side owned by F1 moguls Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone – not to mention Lakshmi Mittal, one of the richest men in the world.

Despite that, Stanley will not make a huge amount of money from the fixture – but they could do if they progress to the third round and face Premier League opposition live on television.

Mullin hopes such a prospect would help the club to push on and challenge for promotion in League Two, but he knows there is a possibility he will not start tonight. The 35-year-old has long been a stalwart in the Stanley side but manager John Coleman is considering changes after identifying the Reds’ profligacy in front of goal as a weakness during two straight league defeats.

“I’m not too sure at the moment what side the manager’s going to put out,” said the forward, who has been playing with a rib injury. “We’ve got a squad and I think he might look to use it a bit.

“I think the cup will be good for us to get away from the league for a game.

“But it’s going to be tough because they’re two levels above us and because of the finances available to them. They’ve got money we can only dream of really.

“We’ve never really had a big tie in this competition. Hopefully this time we can get through and get a plum draw.

“If we could get through, financially it could solve our situation for this season and hopefully it would have consequences for next season as well.

“So I think we all know this is a really important game for us.”

QPR could field £3.5m summer signing Alejandro Faurlin.

Possible Stanley team: Martin; Joyce, Edwards, Kempson, Winnard; Turner, Ryan, Procter, Miles; Symes, Kee.

Possible QPR team: Cerny; Ramage, Stewart, Gorkss, Borrowdale; Routledge, Mahon, Faurlin, Buszaky; Pellicori, Agyemang.