Met Police youth team manager Stuart Searle might have led his team to the fourth round of FA Youth Cup, but he wants more.
The Blues' U18s knocked out Championship club Burnley at Turf Moor on Monday night when they won a penalty shoot-out 6-5 after the scores had finished level a 2-2.
Searle’s boys had trailed 2-1 in extra time, but a 120th minute Ben Marret header brought them back from the brink before goalkeeper Kallum Lunn saved two spot kicks to progress.
The manager, goalkeeping coach with Chelsea Ladies, is not bothered who they pull out of the hat in Friday’s draw as his side has gone well beyond expectations.
Saviour: Ben Marret, centre, turns to celebrate the header that sent Met Police's FA Youth Cup tie at Burnley to penalties
And once the magic of the cup has worn off in 2016 he wants his men to remember the benchmarks they have set to spur them on.
“Even after all the messages from other managers and the rest of the non-League football family, it still hasn’t sunk in,” he said.
Knee slide: Luke Brant, left, and Tane Caubo celebrate the Met Police penalty that forced extra time at Burnley on Monday
“I don’t care who we pull out of the hat. I hope we either pull out a big team at home or a club where we have the opportunity to play at a big historic ground away.
“Our target at the start of the season was to reach the first round proper, so whatever happens we have surpassed everything we have set out to achieve this season.
“We are not going to win the FA Youth Cup, but we have created our own little bit of history and made some big clubs take notice of us.”
Hero: Met Police goalkeeper Kallum Lunn cannot believe his side are through to the FA Youth Cup fourth round after beating Burnley on penalties
He added: “I want more. I want this group of lads to become winners at our level.
“We want to win the Southern Youth League, the Ryman Youth League and retain the Southern Youth Cup we won last season.
“Now they have an idea of what it takes to get to the top and to win things, they have to maintain that standards.”
The old one two: Kallum Lunn makes the first of his two penaly shoot-out saves against Burnley
Searle has lifted the FA Women’s Super League crown and Women’s FA Cup with Chelsea Ladies in the past 18 months.
The 36-year-old appeared in the second round of the FA Cup as a player and helped Met Police boss Jimmy Cooper’s men lift the Surrey Senior Cup and appear in the Ryman Premier League play-offs last season.
Proud moment: Met Police youth team manager Stuart Searle, left, does not care who the Blues pull out of the FA Youth Cup draw
And he believes the exploits of his Imber Court U18s stack up with his best moments in football.
“This is one of my career highlights. It is certainly up there with what I’ve done at Chelsea Ladies and the Premier League trophies my Chelsea academy U13s and U14s have won.
Let's part: Met Police defender Luke Brant, number three, leads the celebrations after the shoot-out at Burnley on Monday
“It is surreal. I had an emotional phone call with Gavin McPherson (Met Police assistant manager) after the match and he said it was the biggest achievement in the club’s 96-year history – even better then reaching the first round of the FA Cup.
On the ball: Met Police's Ethan Chislett takes on the Burnley defence at Turf Moor on Monday
“It means a huge amount to the club and it is a huge credit to all the people who put in so much hard work to make this sort of thing happen.”
Skipper's performance: Captain Dudley Pearn performed an important holding midfield role against Championship club Burnley
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