Hartlepool caretaker boss Chris Turner hailed his team's famous win over Stoke as the greatest moment of his career.
The former Manchester United keeper, who won the League Cup with Sheffield Wednesday in 1991, said: "I couldn't have asked any more of the individuals.
"They were up against a very strong, powerful team, but they stuck at their task and were very concentrated.
"When that whistle went it was the best feeling I have ever felt even though as a player, I played and won at Wembley."
It was 5ft 4in substitute David Foley who sealed Stoke's fate with a stunning 25-yard drive.
"When we are down to the bare bones striker-wise and David goes on, I'm sure a lot of people in the ground thought, 'oh dear, he's playing against two big 6ft 4in centre-halves'," Turner admitted.
"But he turned them and he forced them back and the ball sat up nicely, and he hit it and it went in the top corner.
"That's something that the FA Cup seems to keep bringing up, these unlikely situations, and players become heroes for a short space of time."
Stoke boss Tony Pulis was philosophical in defeat after making seven changes to the side which lost at West Ham on Sunday and seeing his slide slip to a fourth successive loss in all competitions.
"It was disappointing. I didn't think there was much in the game in the first half - if anything, I thought we were the better team," he said.
"Then when they got their goal, from that point onwards, I thought Hartlepool were the better team and deserved to win.
"I have to say, January is our toughest month - we play Liverpool, Chelsea and then Tottenham away, so January is our toughest month.
"It's going to be a tough couple of weeks by the looks of things.
"But I have been there before, I have done it, I know what it's all about. You have got to make sure you keep your head and keep pushing and driving the lads forward."
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