Hampton & Richmond Borough might have spent more than £100,000 on securing the Ryman Premier League title, but for boss Alan Dowson it was worth every penny.
Saturday's 0-0 draw with Enfield Town at the Beveree meant they claimed the crown by one point from second-placed Bognor Regis Town on a tense final day of the season.
Rival fans and managers alike have suggested Hampton have broken the bank to land a return to the National League South.
We are the champions: Hampton & Richmond Borough captain Kieran Murphy lifts the Ryman Premier League trophy at the Beveree on Saturday
But Dowson insists he and chairman steve McPherson - who shelled out an extra £20,000 on pitch renovations last term - have stuck rigidly to their £3,000-a-week budget for players' wages.
"People have been saying our budget has been £4,500 a week and stuff like that, but if I had that money we would have won the league by Christmas," he said.
"I was promised £3,000 a week at the start of the season and I can tell you we have never gone above that."
We're there: It dawns on Josh Casey and the others at the Beveree that Hampton & Richmond Borough are the Ryman Premier League champions
He added: "This is a well-run club and we spend within our means. Some players will be thinking they should be playing for Milan and have the wages to match.
"I can tell them now, we will be sitting down with them in the next few weeks and making them an offer.
"We'll be working with something similar next season. If they want to go elsewhere for more money then that is fine and I'll find a replacement."
Saturday's tense finale might have been avoided had Hampton not lost 4-1 at Kingstonian at the end of March, but Dowson insisted that was the making of his men.
"I knew the Kingstonian match would make or break our season," he added.
"I told the players to remember that defeat because it would be the last game they would lose this season and if that happened we'd win the league. It did happen and here we are.
Turning point: Hampton's defeat to Kingstonian convinced Beavers boss Alan Dowson that his men could win the title
"It is the best day I have had in football. You could smell the tension in the air and see it in the players.
"It was the worst game of football I've ever seen, but we made it and I'm delighted for the players, the fans and the all the people who have worked so hard to make it happen."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here