October 31, 2017 4.31 pm This story is over 76 months old

“It’s changed lives in Lincoln”: Cowley reflects as FA Cup comes to Sincil Bank

“People say that the magic of the FA Cup has gone, but not to the people who live in Lincoln”

Last season’s FA Cup run changed people’s lives, reflected Lincoln City manager Danny Cowley as the trophy visited Sincil Bank.

Cowley’s Lincoln defied the odds after becoming the first non-league team to reach the quarter-finals of the competition in over 100 years, defeating the likes of Oldham Athletic, Brighton & Hove Albion, Ipswich Town and Burnley before losing to eventual winners Arsenal in the last eight.

The Imps will travel to League One AFC Wimbledon on Saturday, November 3 where over 1,000 Lincoln fans will be hoping to witness another victory in the famous competition.

Speaking to The Lincolnite as the FA Cup trophy visited Sincil Bank, Cowley said: “It’s changed all of our lives, it’s changed the club’s life and it’s changed the people of Lincoln’s life, and it’s brought everybody together and brought the football club back with the people.

“People say that the magic of the FA Cup has gone, but not to the people who live in Lincoln because for us it was life changing, if that’s not magic I don’t know what it and it’s the best cup competition in the world, they’re easy words to say but I genuinely mean that as it’s a brilliant competition.

“It’s going to be tough as AFC Wimbledon is about the toughest draw you can get because they are in the highest league status that you can draw and obviously away from home.

“We always try and do better than what we do, but that means semi-finals, when you say it out loud it sounds impossible but I don’t suppose many people would’ve believed we would have gone to Burnley and win, you have to dream big and have to believe.

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What’s the point in entering a competition if you don’t think you could do better than before.”