Exeter manager Gary Caldwell took his players on a trip down memory lane before seeing them stun Oxford to reach the FA Cup fourth round for the first time in 44 years.
The Grecians had not progressed beyond the third round since 1981, when City reached the quarter-finals before losing to eventual FA Cup winners Tottenham.
However, the League One outfit ended that miserable record on Saturday after fighting back to beat Championship side Oxford 3-1 at St James Park.
Matt Phillips put the visitors ahead but Demetri Mitchell’s double – on his 28th birthday – and a Vincent Harper strike sealed a superb victory for Caldwell’s men.
The Exeter boss said: “It’s a brilliant achievement by the players.
“Before the game, we showed players pictures of what computers were like then (1981); Muhammad Ali was heavyweight champion, Only Fools and Horses was on television and we wanted them to get a feel of how long ago it was that this club was last in the fourth round.
“Many staff members weren’t even born – I wasn’t born – and we showed some pictures of the staff that were alive from 1981 for the boys to motivate them to try and grab the opportunity – and boy did they grab it.
“I was pleased with the way we were in control and the chances we created, we could have got more and really killed the game off, but at 3-1, we were in control.
“We have to keep believing in what we are doing and I think the performances have got better and we got the rewards for that.
“Whenever Oxford came at us, we kept playing and the third goal was outstanding. Caleb’s (Watts) turn, Vinnie’s finish, but what I liked was the number of players that were there attacking the box.
“We tell the players they will get their rewards from that and today they did, so hopefully that gives them the belief and confidence to keep doing that.
“We can still be better and we have to be better and that has to be key to our season. It is continual improvement, but when you see them play like that, it’s real excitement for the rest of the season.”
Oxford had taken the lead through Phillips in the 14th minute, but once Exeter levelled eight minutes later, the hosts ran out clear and deserved winners, with the U’s finishing the game with 10 men following Tyler Goodrham’s 81st-minute dismissal.
“Exeter are a good side, I have got to give them massive credit as they played some good stuff,” said Gary Rowett, who suffered his first defeat as Oxford boss.
“They played with a real energy and not having a game in the week allowed them to maintain the same team, whereas having played on Tuesday night means we had to do what we had to do.
“I was expecting a bit more. It is easy for me to come out here and berate the team because we have lost 3-1. But there are a lot of players in there that haven’t played an awful lot of football.”
