On 20 April 2024, Fleetwood’s relegation from League One was confirmed, capping off a miserable season for the club on the pitch.
That same day, Arsenal beat Wolves 2-0 at Molineux to go top of the Premier League. They would finish that campaign second, but won the title two years later.
Meanwhile, Fleetwood have held their heads above water in League Two – and the league is very much in mind for boss Lawlor, with his side facing Bristol Rovers on Saturday.
“It’s really hard to address the players. I’ve just said to enjoy it and then we’ve got a league game on Saturday,” he added.
“I didn’t want to be the bearer of the reality, but we’ve got a game.”
It was Haughey who ultimately struck the winning penalty to send the hosts through, yet it was goalkeeper Jay Lynch who tipped the shootout in their favour.
He pulled off superb saves during the match to deny Ben White and Martin Odegaard, then kept out Bruno Guimaraes’ penalty, and was left hoarse in the aftermath of a stunning victory at a windy Highbury.
It was a victory which he likened to Grimsby’s triumph over Manchester United in the competition last season.
“My voice has gone from organising the defence,” Lynch told Sky Sports.
“We took heart from Grimsby beating Man United last year. We kind of compared it.
“It was a typical night in Fleetwood. We were expecting a storm, we knew the conditions would be horrible, so we thought it might go in our favour.
“It’s amazing for the club, the town. Honestly it means everything to everyone.”