WAYNE Thomas says Worcester City’s FA Cup triumph over Coventry City is the finest moment of his career.

The veteran centre-half has played more than 300 games for the likes of Stoke, Southampton and Burnley down the years.

He also scored the opening goal for Stoke in their 2-1 FA Cup fifth-round defeat to Arsenal at Highbury in 2005.

But last Sunday’s 2-1 victory at the Ricoh Arena, arguably the biggest shock in the first round this season, ranks as the top highlight for the 35-year-old.

Thomas said: “It’s got to be up there as the number one. I’ve been fortunate enough to play in the fifth round twice and they’ve been great occasions.

“But I’ve never been in the situation whereby it could possibly be the last FA Cup match I play in. To come to a stadium like the Ricoh with that many supporters and beat an opposition who are a few leagues above us is a fantastic achievement.”

Thomas, who suffered a cut face in a collision with keeper Nathan Vaughan during the match, also said he hoped some of the 3,220 City fans at Coventry back Carl Heeley’s side in today’s Vanarama Conference North match against Leamington at Aggborough (3pm).

Meanwhile, City’s exploits have become the focus of two football fanatics following the FA Cup around the country.

Ryan Tute and Michael Evans will be at next month’s second-round match at Scunthorpe United as part of their quest to attend a match in every round to the final.

The pair, 24 and 23 respectively, went to Scunthorpe’s first-round match at Forest Green Rovers because it was the last tie drawn out of the hat and are following the winners’ progress from each match.

Tute, a journalist for the Blackpool Gazette, and Evans, a Glasgow University graduate engineer, are blogging about their experiences as they go.