Last Saturday he led non-league Exeter City to an historic result against Manchester United at Old Trafford, the stadium dubbed the “Theatre of Dreams”.

The Nationwide Conference team he manages delighted students and staff by holding the premiership giants to a goal-less draw in the FA Cup third round.

Mr Inglethorpe was head of football at Lewisham for 18 months, helping 70 students hoping to make a career in the game. He left to become youth coach at Leyton Orient before taking the Exeter post in the summer.

Pippa Lusby, head of sports development at Lewisham, said: “The whole college was rooting for him on Saturday. He was very popular and we were very sorry when he moved on.

“We wish him huge amounts of luck in the replay. I think he is going to need it.”