It was the story which thrust Thornaby FC into the national media spotlight for all the wrong reasons – but now it has inadvertently given the club a new lease of life.
Heaton Stannington manager Dean Nicholson admitted he was lost for words after his side secured a first ever promotion into the Northern Premier League East.
Maidstone United are the lowest ranked side for 46 years to make the last 16 of the FA Cup and only the 11th Non-League club ever to make it this far since the current structure was adopted for the 1925-26 season.