Former Manchester United youngster Chris Fagan paid tribute to Glenn Hoddle after his FA Cup performance for Lincoln City against Northwich Victoria.
The Blue Square North club's hopes of a second giantkilling were ended by a second-half brace from former Blackburn trainee Jamie Clarke.
But it was 20-year-old Fagan, the Irish striker rescued from the scrapheap by Hoddle, who dazzled.
Fagan thought his world had collapsed after being released by Manchester United at the age of 19. But he quickly won a place at Hoddle's Academy in Spain, set up by the former England coach in 2008 to give young players who fail to make the grade a second chance.
And Fagan has not looked back since becoming the first player from the Academy to sign a permanent contract with a Football League club.
Fagan said: "I was at United for three years then they let me go. I then got to meet John Gorman and he let me know what Glenn was doing. The year I had in Spain was a really good one. Glenn has had a massive impact on my career."