After the game, I go off to the media room for the press-conference. Mikel Arteta is relieved, but complimentary of Mansfield – the team, Nigel, the club as a whole. He reserves his highest praise for the fans – “the energy that the supporters put in, I think was extraordinary. The intensity, the banter at times, the interactions and the belief that they put in towards the team”. He cites this, along with the pitch and the early kick-off as reasons his side “really had to earn it” and calls the match “a proper cup tie”. As polite as the obligatory respectful comments are, it’s my gaffer I want to hear from. Clough is proud, stoic and honest, as always. “We could have nicked it” he says and tells of how he was “surprised how many we created”. Indeed, Mansfield’s eighteen shots (one fewer than Arsenal) represents the highest number created against England’s best defence in over a year. One journo asks whether Clough was tempted to sit in against such formidable opponents. “No, no, no” He shoots back immediately, “I don’t think there would have been much point … we wanted to play like that for our supporters, as well. They don’t want to come, 10,000 people, and watch us sit back. If we’re going to go out, let’s go out having a go, like we did today”. Spot on, gaffer. I leave with my head high and knowing that I’ll have a story to tell future generations, just as my Dad and Grandad told me about 1969. I rejoin my step-daughter, alongside my parents and the club’s owners, John and Carolyn Radford, and the icing on the cake? She managed to meet Bukayo Saka for a photograph! He’s been her favourite player for a few years, but I have a sneaking feeling that he’s now up against stiff competition in the shape of Rhys Oates, Deji Oshilaja, Tyler Roberts and Louis Reed.