Maidstone United manager George Elokobi hailed his side’s remarkable 2-1 FA Cup victory over the Blues as a historic occasion for his club and also paid tribute to Town, manager Kieran McKenna and the Blues’ supporters.

The National League South Stones have become the first sixth tier team to reach the fifth round of the FA Cup since Blyth Spartans in 1978, the year Town won the trophy for the only time.

Asked about the scenes in the visitors’ dressing room, the 37-year-old said: “Absolutely amazing, an amazing celebration. Firstly, a massive thank you to Ipswich Town, to Kieran [McKenna], to his management team, the Ipswich supporters, they’ve been amazing.

“This was a historic occasion for Maidstone United Football Club, for our group of players, our supporters but more so for our community.

“Today, we’ve come here with a huge support of Ipswich supporters, they’ve come out in their numbers, there was close to 30,000 fans here in this stadium today, and it’s important that we acknowledge that as a football club because that’s going to help us in terms of finances coming into our to football club to keep our club sustainable.

“We know someone had to win today and the Gods were with us. After the first 25 minutes, we had to earn our luck and it was important that our players stayed resilient in those moments.

“We knew we wouldn’t create many chances here because of the magnificent job Kieran is doing with Ipswich, the players, a fantastic outfit, sitting second in the Championship.

“We knew to come here and get a result was going to take some doing. We had to be resilient for 98 minutes and I drummed this into our group of players.

“We prepared and prepared right. I told them one thing, go out there and enjoy the occasion. You are already history-makers in the eyes of the world and the eyes of the people that watch football.

“To just take every bit of the glory today from when we set out this morning on our walk, we went and saw where our fans were at the pub and waved to them. Those were all the moments.

“They were relaxed at the hotel yesterday and that was how we wanted to approach today, to make it historic, to have memories to look back to, the game and magic of the FA Cup is making us dream again.”

Elokobi, who encouraged his players to stay at Portman Road to take photos and videos long after the final whistle to soak up the occasion, insisted he always felt a win was possible from the Kent side’s seventh FA Cup tie this season.

“If you know George Elokobi, then he’s a believer,” he said. “I’m a believer and every project I embark on as an individual, with my management team, we believed we could truly come and here and compete against a fantastic Championship side.

“In those preparations we showed every bit of respect to Ipswich Town. We normally train on 3G but we hired a grass pitch, we took our players out, we looked at the dimensions of the Ipswich pitch and we created that in that environment to give our boys some visuals.

“And also created what we were going to be coming against, waves of attacks, so our defenders, the entire team can be resilient and each and every person that was taking part today knew what their jobs were.

“We knew we had to run a little bit more than we’ve ever done, but we believed and I believed and my job is to instil that belief to the group of players I’ve got, to my staff.

“My director of football, Mr Bill Williams, he’s been in football for 64 years, he’s 82, a fantastic man.

“I don’t know if it’s reverse psychology from when we drew Barrow, which is a fantastic League Two outfit, he said, ‘I don’t think we’ll do it’ and I looked at him and I laughed, and I said, ‘Watch history being made here’. And we did.

“And we drew Stevenage, I’ve got the text message on my phone, I sent it to my best mate. Immediately that draw came through, I told him it was a winnable tie when no one believed. That was me believing straight away.

“And then when we drew Ipswich, I said if this is the last dance, we’re going to go out dancing and dancing well today!

“You just have to believe in everything you do in life, and that’s me, I’m a very, very positive person, we’ve got a right balance, I’ve got a right balance in defeat, in victories, in draws and respect my opposition, that’s just how my environment is.

“It’s beeb built on honesty, openness, belief, integrity. So, if you have all of that what’s to fear? We had nothing to lose, to be honest, and I told my players whatever happens I’m immensely proud of them.”

Fire alarms went off at Maidstone’s hotel twice during the night but didn’t appear to upset their preparations.

“Our players sort of half expected it,” Elokobi laughed. “I made a joke and said the Ipswich fans were getting scared that Maidstone are in town!

“Our players had a good rest. We came in early to relax. No pressure on them to beat Ipswich. It was about coming here and putting the name of our club on the map.”

Photo: TWTD

Help added 18:03 - Jan 27 Well done. You got your tactics right. We got beaten fair and square. Disappointed with the result and some of the players performances.
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Europablue added 18:53 - Jan 27 Good luck to them. They rode their luck and fought hard for each other and took the only two chances they had so managed to get a result. We don't need to dwell on this one. Probably the highlight of Norwich's season.
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SouperJim added 19:00 - Jan 27 As much as the result embarrasses us, the silver lining for me is what it means to those Maidstone players and fans. Good for them. Also very impressed with Elokobi, speaks very well and was very humble both before and after the game.
18

ImAbeliever added 19:08 - Jan 27 Good to hear, Mr Elokobi is a believer, just like me. Well done Maidstone.
6

aloanagain added 19:13 - Jan 27 Well done Maidstone and their noisy supporters. Looking on the brightside that's one way to get a mention on LookAnglia.
5

GiveusaWave added 19:16 - Jan 27 Well done to Maidstone. One of the greatest upsets ever in the FA Cup and will be talked about for decades to come.
5

Suffolkboy added 19:45 - Jan 27 Good people, good Club , always the right intentions , like to play constructive clean football ,with an honesty and happiness ,spirit and joy under the influence of a real character . Well done Maidstone ,you fought hard and fair and simply never relinquished the hunger to succeed ! COYB
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Bazza8564 added 20:08 - Jan 27 Wonderful cup story well done
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Edmundo added 20:55 - Jan 27 If this guy doesn't get a chance to work with a League club (should Maidstone continue to rise up NLS) then something is wrong with football. He set his team up so well today. They played, to a man, the game of their lives. Rode their luck but deserved to win.
5

Flight_of_Shefki added 21:47 - Jan 27 A cracking read, and for me, made the situation easier to bare. Well done Maidstone, I wish your team well.
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LimerickTractorBoy added 08:00 - Jan 28 Congratulations Maidstone, enjoy.
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SpiritOfJohn added 08:36 - Jan 28 Well done to George and his team, who came with a plan and executed it brilliantly. Since it was on the TV other teams will try to do the same but they will need a lot of heart, a lot of luck, an amazing goalkeeping display and a bit of help from the ref.
2

dirtydingusmagee added 16:38 - Jan 28 Elokobi came over as a very nice bloke after match, no gobbing off , very humble , liked everything he said Good luck to him and his players
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