West Ham manager Alan Curbishley is prepared to be hit in the pocket this season in order to strike gold with his crop of home-grown youngsters.
Curbishley will continue to blood academy graduates like Freddie Sears and James Tomkins in preparation for next year, even if it means missing out on a bigger end-of-season bonus.
Sears scored on his debut against Blackburn and hit the post last weekend in the 1-1 draw at Everton, where Tomkins made his first senior start.
In a big week for the Basildon-born defender, Tomkins went on to score twice for the England Under-19s and could retain his place for Saturday's trip to Sunderland.
Midfielder Jack Collison, who has helped Wales Under-21s to the brink of European Championships qualification, is also waiting in the wings.
And while Curbishley is not prepared to sacrifice results for the sake of progress, he does recognise that West Ham's mid-table safety offers him the ideal chance to give youth its head.
"I'm hoping to give them some football in the run-in, starts especially," said Curbishley.
"I know every West Ham fan wants us to finish as high up as we can in that top 10, and that's what we've got to try to do.
"The players' bonuses are attributed to where we finish - but I've got to think about the club as well."
Curbishley added: "For me, it's about the bigger picture. I've got no doubts about putting some of them in, so if the situation arises I'll do it.
"I wasn't afraid to do it over at Charlton and I won't be afraid to do it here.
"Every game and every point is vital but at some stage, if they are good enough you have got to give them a go.
"For the last four or five months those two (Sears and Tomkins) and Jack Collison have been forcing the issue.
"They have been training with us and have been waiting for their chance."
And after 25 goals in 24 games at youth and reserve-team level, Sears has taken it with both hands over the last fortnight.
It is a measure of his impact off the bench against Blackburn and Everton that West Ham will miss him at Sunderland if a slight groin injury does rule him out.
Tomkins, who turns 19 on Saturday, was at fault for Everton's goal but then warmed to the task and impressed Curbishley.
"We only told Tomkins an hour before the game that he was playing. We didn't want him to be thinking about it too much," said Curbishley.
"What pleased me most about it was that he had a shaky start with the goal and then got stronger as the game went on.
"And Freddie has given everyone a lift with his enthusiasm."
West Ham finished the match at Goodison Park with four home-grown players on the field with Sears joining Tomkins, Anton Ferdinand and Mark Noble.
That east end connection is crucial for West Ham, and although the club's new technical director Gianluca Nani will scour Europe for the best young talent, Curbishley will not break with the Upton Park tradition.
"We want to make sure we can compete on all levels. Gianluca has the knowledge and the network which I am sure will improve our situation," said Curbishley.
"But the English talent cannot be ignored and that is one of the major routes we are going down.
"Sears and Tomkins are genuine West Ham fans. The club is what they are about.
"You cannot forget the affinity home-grown English or British players have with the fans."
Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, Michael Carrick, Glen Johnson and Jermain Defoe were the last academy graduates to become Premier League regulars.
All have left the club - but Curbishley is confident the production line is back in full working order now.
"West Ham have always had a sprinkling of homegrown talent. There's perhaps been a little lull in recent years but hopefully we're on our way back," he said.
