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Lincoln City won the hearts of millions with their FA Cup run last season – but it cost their manager £740 and a fancy car

Danny Cowley shared some wine with Arsene Wenger after Arsenal dumped his team out - then had his Audi A8 downgraded

LINCOLN boss Danny Cowley has revealed how last season’s FA Cup quarter-final defeat against Arsenal cost him £740... and a fancy motor.

Cowley and his brother, assistant boss Nicky, were first brought crashing back to Earth from the dream run by being forced to thumb for a black cab outside the Emirates Stadium after the game.

 Lincoln boss Danny Cowley pitted his wits against Arsene Wenger in Lincoln's incredible FA Cup run last season
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Lincoln boss Danny Cowley pitted his wits against Arsene Wenger in Lincoln's incredible FA Cup run last seasonCredit: AFP or Licensors
 One of the rewards for Danny Cowley for guiding his side to an FA Cup clash against Arsenal was an Audi A8 (file photo)
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One of the rewards for Danny Cowley for guiding his side to an FA Cup clash against Arsenal was an Audi A8 (file photo)

Then Cowley found himself coughing up for a hotel bill he was not expecting and then having a brand new swanky car taken away from him.

Lincoln were the first non-league team to reach the last eight since QPR in 1914 – after capturing the hearts of the nation by beating Championship clubs Ipswich and Brighton followed by a win at Premier League Burnley along the way.

And having spent tea-time pitting their wits against Premier League superstars on prime-time television, and then having an hour-and-a-half private audience with Arsene Wenger in his office, the brothers did not have to wait long to realise the dream was over.

Danny told SunSport: “We walked out of Wenger’s office – having been wined and dined by him for 90 minutes – and suddenly it occurred to us we hadn’t made any transport plans.

 But no sooner had Lincoln being dumped out of the FA Cup, Cowley saw his A8 taken away and replaced with his original A3 company car
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But no sooner had Lincoln being dumped out of the FA Cup, Cowley saw his A8 taken away and replaced with his original A3 company car
 Although Lincoln were beaten 5-0 by the Gunners, Danny Cowley became a lot more famous
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Although Lincoln were beaten 5-0 by the Gunners, Danny Cowley became a lot more famousCredit: Rex Features

“We had decided to stay an extra night at the team hotel because we had some radio appearances the next day and the club’s coach was heading back to Lincoln.

“So there we were walking through the vast Emirates corridors with our boots, towels and jumpers and decided to head out of the stadium to get a Tube.


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“We got about 800 metres down the road and realised, ‘Too many people recognise who we are’ – and, with lots of fans milling about, we thought this isn’t going to work for us.

“So we stood on a pavement thumbing for a cab. That cost me £40.

Arsenal 5-0 Lincoln : Lincoln's FA Cup adventure is now over

 

“We had wanted to stay at the Holiday Inn but someone at the club told us we could and should stay at the posh Landmark Hotel in Marylebone where the team had stayed the previous night.

“But when we checked out the next morning we discovered no-one had paid for it - and I got strung £700!

“So playing Arsenal cost me a bloody fortune. For £740, I could’ve taken my family away on holiday for a week.”

And to complete the Cinderella-after-the-ball sequence of events, Cowley laughed: “Where we beat Burnley away, we had our company car upgraded by a local sponsor from an Audi A3 to an Audi A8, which was like Knight Rider.

 Lincolns brave players earned a world of plaudits for their FA Cup run last season
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Lincolns brave players earned a world of plaudits for their FA Cup run last seasonCredit: Getty Images - Getty
 Despite their FA Cup journey ending with a 5-0 defeat to Arsenal, Lincoln ensure the romance of the FA Cup was very much alive
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Despite their FA Cup journey ending with a 5-0 defeat to Arsenal, Lincoln ensure the romance of the FA Cup was very much aliveCredit: PA:Press Association

“But the day after we were knocked out by Arsenal, they took it away.”

Lincoln are back in FA Cup action on Saturday when they travel to League One club AFC Wimbedon – and since their heroics last time out the club have returned to the Football League after a six-year absence.

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