Danny Cowley spoke of his delight at his side making it to Wembley in the Checkatrade Trophy Final and is delighted for the players, supporters and everyone associated with the club.
"133 years that this wonderful club has been alive and it’s never been to Wembley so we feel really proud we’ve been able to get there." He said.
Looking back at the game, The Imps' boss was pleased with his team's performance and thought it they were deserving of the victory even though it went to a penalty shoot out to decide the winner.
"We played really well and deserved to win, we were so brave with our pressing off the ball and we managed to suffocate them and they found it really hard to get out of their half. There was an incredible effort from the players, the amount of energy they expended because of the system we use. We created lots of chances, it was great to score and maybe we should have put the game to bed.
"Credit to Chelsea, they’ve got some world class young players and they were always going to have their moment, they didn’t have many but they were always going to have one. I was so pleased that we went again, we could have even won it right at the end of the game when Bozzy’s header went right across the goal."
As spot kicks loomed, the manager had nothing but belief in his players and as Lee Frecklington stepped to take the spot kick, he said it was almost written in the stars that the Imps midfielder would take the side to the National Stadium.
"Six times as a manager, I’ve been one game from Wembley and you sometimes think, ‘Is it me?’ but credit to the players they were brilliant with the penalties.
"We decided to put Lee on the bench because, he’s a penalty taker and he’s got the bravery to take a pressure penalty. It felt like it was how the story should go. He’s a Lincoln boy, he’s been brought up through the academy and for him to find the winning goal, it was kind of poetic."
Lastly, Danny reserved special praise for the Imps' fans who never fail to impress him and he's determined that his side repay their faith and support in April.
"It will mean everything to lead the team out at Wembley, it’s what you dream of as a young boy, it’s the pinnacle. It will mean everything, but it’s much bigger than me. It’s about the players, they’re really low maintainance and low profile too so it will be nice for them to have their moment in the lights and our supporters who have given us so much.
"In life it’s about relationships and it’s about give and take, we’ve taken a lot from them and it we know it would be lovely to give them something back."
