Maidstone manager George Elokobi says he has watched Sam Corne’s FA Cup third-round winner more times than he has seen clips of Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi.
Elokobi is bidding to make further history with the National League South side this weekend after guiding them into the fourth round of the competition for the first time since the club reformed in 1992.
The sixth-tier Stones – the lowest-ranked team remaining in the competition – travel to Sky Bet Championship high-fliers Ipswich on Saturday lunchtime after Corne’s decisive penalty set up a 1-0 success over League One Stevenage.
Elokobi, a former Premier League defender with Wolves, wants his players to continue revelling in the national spotlight going into a televised tie with the Tractor Boys.
“I’m excited for the entire community: Maidstone as a whole, our football club, obviously our owners, more so for our players, who are history makers,” said the 37-year-old.
“It’s a great occasion, a historic moment for them all.
“They went out there believing that they could cause the big upset in the FA Cup third round and become history makers.
“I know the pitch got invaded but just to see the young boys and girls that ran on the pitch epitomises everything about what our football club means to our community.
“It was the sheer magnitude of the media coverage after that game.
“I must have watched Sam Corne more than I’ve watched Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi in my time!
“That’s just what it meant because every TV programme, or most TV programmes, it was all about Maidstone United Football Club and it just shows what our group of players have achieved.”
Maidstone will be roared on by just under 4,500 fans at Portman Road.
They return to Suffolk having crashed out to seventh-tier Needham Market – a club located around nine miles north-west of Ipswich – in the fourth qualifying round last season.
The Kent club, who are captained by former Arsenal defender Gavin Hoyte, have played six fixtures to reach this stage, including knocking out League Two Barrow before upsetting Stevenage.
Elokobi added: “We’re going to a special club in Ipswich Town and what’s not to love about that? What’s not to celebrate about it?
“We just want our players to go there, enjoy competing against Championship professionals and enjoy showcasing their talents and making sure they do themselves proud and the entire Maidstone community.
“We know the magnitude of the game, we know how good they are in terms of the respect we’re going to show them.”
Maidstone’s spell in the limelight comes 32 years after the club were liquidated amid spiralling debts and later reborn.
In addition to the healthy travelling support, the Stones will also have plenty of backing in Elokobi’s native Cameroon.
“When we beat Barrow, it made national news in Cameroon,” he said.
“The messages I’ve been getting has been overwhelming, they’ve come via text messages, they’ve gone through the social media platforms.
“I’ve even had calls from the British Cameroonian consulate in England as well, so that tells you the magnitude of what I’m doing.
“I’m the first Cameroonian to have ever managed an English outfit, let alone be in the fourth round of the FA Cup as a manager.
“But it’s not just about me.
“It’s going to an incredible day for everyone connected to myself and Maidstone United Football Club.”
Hurtig the hero after late goal sends Arsenal into Champions League quarters
Lina Hurtig's 89th minute winner ensured Arsenal progressed to the quarter-finals of the Women's Champions League after edging Juventus 1-0 on Thursday.
After being frustrated for large parts of the encounter, Hurtig bundled home from close range after Martina Lenzini's poor clearance to book the Gunners' place in the last eight.
Despite Arsenal dominating the early exchanges, it was Juventus who had the first sight of goal, though Eva Schatzer's effort was easy for Daphne van Domselaar to gather.
In a first half that saw just two shots on target, both coming from the visitors, Renee Slegers' substitutes proved to be the difference for Arsenal.
Slegers introduced Beth Mead, Stina Blackstenius and Hurtig late on, with the latter somehow putting Kim Little's cross over the bar from five yards out.
However, the Swede would atone for her earlier error, combining with fellow substitute Blackstenius to net against her former club and send them out of the competition with two group games remaining.
Meanwhile, in Group D, Barcelona edged closer to the quarter-finals of the competition with a convincing 4-1 victory over St. Polten at the Generali Arena.
The reigning champions are still three points behind Manchester City following their 2-1 win over Hammarby, and know a win against the Swedes next month will see them progress.
Kika Nazareth opened the scoring in the 20th minute after capitalising on a mistake by Kamila Dubcova, notching her second nine minutes later from close range.
Barca found themselves three goals up at the break when Vicky Lopez netted her first goal in the competition to put the result beyond doubt.
There was also a landmark moment for Alexia Putellas, who netted her 200th goal for the club with a well-taken effort into the far corner.
Valentina Madl took some of the shine off an otherwise impressive display from the visitors, who have now taken their tally to 20 goals from their four matches in the competition.
Guardiola agrees two-year contract extension with Man City
Pep Guardiola will be Manchester City manager for at least two more seasons after 2024-25, after he signed a two-year contract extension on Thursday.
The 53-year-old was coming to the end of his City deal, which was due to expire at the end of the current campaign, but he has opted to remain at the Etihad Stadium.
The deal itself will take Guardiola's tenure at the club to over a decade, making him City's longest-serving manager since Les McDowall in 1963.
There had been suggestions that he may leave at the end of the season following the announcement that director of football Txiki Begiristain was on his way out.
Guardiola was strongly linked with the England job after Gareth Southgate resigned in the wake of their Euro 2024 final defeat, but the Football Association appointed Thomas Tuchel last month.
“Manchester City means so much to me," Guardiola said. “This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club.
“That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.
“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and, of course, the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.
“I have said this many times before, but I have everything a manager could ever wish for, and I appreciate that so much.
“Hopefully, now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus.”
Having been appointed in 2016, Guardiola is by some distance Manchester City's most successful manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies during his time at the club.
That list includes their first-ever Champions League triumph in 2023 and six Premier League titles, including an unprecedented four on the spin.
He also boasts a 72.04% win percentage across all competitions, which is unsurprisingly the highest of any full-time City manager in history.
Shaw at the double as Man City progress in Champions League
Khadija Shaw scored twice as Manchester City beat Hammarby 2-1 to seal their place in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals.
Gareth Taylor's team entered Thursday's game with a perfect record in Group D, and their fourth win in as many European matches ensured they finished in the top two.
Shaw—the leading scorer in the Women's Super League this season with eight goals—put them ahead in the 31st minute, driving into the area after taking in Yui Hasegawa's pass before seeing her shot deflect into the top corner.
Shaw was booked for celebrating in front of the home fans despite appearing to have objects thrown at her from the stands, and Hammarby should have levelled when Julia Blakstad fired wide 10 minutes later.
The hosts did draw level three minutes into the second half as Ellen Wangerheim tapped home while City's Laura Blindkilde Brown was down appealing for a free-kick.
That parity was short-lived, though, as Shaw blasted into the top corner from 25 yards out, taking her overall tally for this season to 12 goals in all competitions.
In Group C, meanwhile, Bayern Munich lost their perfect record as they played out a 1-1 draw with Valerenga, boosting Arsenal's hopes of topping the pile.
Jovana Damnjanovic came off the bench to put Bayern ahead 15 minutes from time in Norway, but Elise Thorsnes headed home following an 88th-minute corner to snatch a point for the hosts.
Arsenal could now move within a point of Bayern when they face Juventus in Group C's other match later on Thursday.
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