Fleetwood is still reflecting on one of the proudest moments in its history after the Cod Army stunned Premier League champions Arsenal to reach the Carabao Cup quarter-finals in a night that captured the spirit, resilience and community pride of the town.

For a club competing in League Two, the achievement was extraordinary. Against an Arsenal side worth over £1bn, Fleetwood held their nerve through a 1-1 draw before winning 5-3 on penalties at Highbury Stadium, sending supporters flooding onto the pitch to celebrate a result few could have imagined.

It was a victory that put Fleetwood firmly in the national spotlight, with players, supporters and residents united in celebrating a remarkable achievement for their football club and the wider community.

The Cod Army, managed by Poulton-le-Fylde-born Matt Lawlor, had dared to dream when Fulham loanee Aaron Loupalo-Bi put the hosts ahead after 21 minutes. Arsenal struggled to find their rhythm on the Fylde coast, but Viktor Gyokeres levelled in the 50th minute, turning in his first goal of the season, and Arsenal continued to press for a winner.

Their frustration grew as teenage prodigy Max Dowman was sent off with five minutes remaining, with Fleetwood goalkeeper Jay Lynch producing crucial saves from Ben White and Martin Odegaard to take the tie to penalties, where Fleetwood converted all five of their efforts.

After Lynch saved Bruno Guimaraes’ spot-kick, teenage defender Conor Haughey - who admitted he had not even practised penalties before delivering the decisive moment - stepped up and struck emphatically to seal one of the competition’s greatest upsets. For Lawlor, the result represented the pinnacle of his club’s history.

But the significance of the victory extended well beyond the pitch, with the town’s reaction reflecting just how much the occasion meant to those who have supported Fleetwood through the years.

Speaking on the pitch after the final whistle, one fan struggled to put the moment into words. “This is the best moment of my 19 years so far,” he said. “I think we’ve shown that, yes we are Fleetwood, yes we aren't the biggest or the best, but we put up a fight, and we deserved it.”

On the extraordinary atmosphere inside the ground, the supporter added: “I bet they can hear this back at the Emirates in London!”.

Another supporter, who has followed Fleetwood Town FC for nearly 30 years, said: “I think it's massive for the town to beat the champions of England, the money, the attention, it's fabulous. Brilliant night, one that I'll never forget. This is the best night in our history, we’ll never see anything like it again. I'm so proud, every single one of them did the town proud tonight.”

The celebrations also reached beyond the stadium, with local figures and organisations recognising the wider significance of the result. Punk icon and Fleetwood-born John Robb celebrated the achievement on Facebook, writing: “Wow! Fleetwood (where I was born) beat the multi million pound Arsenal in t’cup…”

A spokesperson for Wyre Council said: “To see Fleetwood Town FC make history against Arsenal was a proud moment for everyone connected to our town. This win wasn't just about football, it reflected the character of our town: resilient, ambitious and never afraid to take on a challenge, no matter the odds.

“Congratulations to the players, staff, supporters and everyone who helped make history.”

The sense of collective pride was echoed by Flakefleet Primary School headteacher Dave McPartlin, who said: “Nobody gave us a chance. A little fishing town at the top of Lancashire has just knocked the Premier League champions out of the cup. On penalties. At Highbury. Fleetwood. Small town. Big heart. HUGE sense of community. And tonight the whole country got to see it.

“We will remember this night forever. Where you come from doesn't decide where you can go- now we're off to the quarter finals!!! Nobody gave us a chance - but we took it anyway. What a night. What a town.”

Fleetwood Town FC captured the emotion of the occasion in a simple message shared on social media: “We will never get over this moment.”

The scale of the achievement was also reflected in the club’s Carabao Cup outright odds, which shortened from 200/1 to 80/1 following the Arsenal victory.

For a club sitting 18th in League Two before the tie, the result was about far more than progressing to the last eight. It was a moment of recognition for a town whose football club had taken on the odds, delivered on the biggest stage of its season and given its supporters a memory to treasure.

In the days since the final whistle, Fleetwood has been left to savour a night when belief overcame reputation and a small Lancashire town showed the country what its football club could achieve.