Jimmy Quinn could have been running out for Lewes at Stoke on Sunday if injury had not brought his playing days to an early end.

At 37, the mild-mannered Scotsman is the same age as Lewes sweeper Paul Thomsett.

A catalogue of knee injuries, though, forced Quinn to quit the game earlier and turn his attention to management.

It is a task he has taken to rather well. After learning the ropes at County League side Wick, many are now saying Quinn is a man with the Midas touch.

In three turbulent years at Lewes, he has turned perennial strugglers into one of the forces of Sussex soccer, and he has done so on a budget which puts others to shame.

This Sunday Quinn can enjoy the proudest moment of his management career as he leads Lewes into action at Stoke in the first round of the FA Cup. It is the first time Lewes have reached this stage in their 116-year history and they are the smallest club left in this famous competition.

Quinn's ethos for the game is: Settle down, relax and enjoy. A man who personifies calmness, you would think Quinn is just the man to do that.

Destined for bigger things? Quinn brushes aside the question, but few can argue with what he has done for Lewes.

With charismatic if controversial assistant Billy Nixon at his side, Quinn is determined Lewes will enjoy the biggest day in the club's history.

Quinn said: "We won't have to lift the players but we might have to settle them down a bit. Obviously we want to do our best to win the game but we are under no pressure.

"I am going to take Sandy Brown (former Lewes and Worthing player) along with us for the two days. Sandy has got a video of the day when Worthing played Bournemouth in the cup. We controlled the game for the first 10-15 minutes, which is a very important time of the game. We will try to use that video to put it across to the players.

"I have got reports on Stoke. Brian Horton has sent down Port Vale's reports on them and last week Martin Hinshelwood took us into his office and gave us the reports Albion have on Stoke. I also have a video.

"I will read the reports, watch the video and get to know a little bit about the players we will be facing. I haven't gone to watch them, but the information we have got is good information.

"There is always a chance. As the game draws closer you start to believe this could be your day and you might get the lucky break. If you don't believe that, there is no real point in going."

Brought up as a Rangers fan in the Celtic area of Glasgow, Quinn honed his footballing talents at Hampden Park with Queen's Park. It was while there that he played against Rangers in the quarter final of the Scottish Cup, losing 1-0.

Quinn said: "It was a strange experience. Being a Rangers supporter and playing against them with 25,000 people watching was something else."

He moved on to Clyde, playing under former Scotland boss Craig Brown, before deciding to move south. On arrival in Sussex, Quinn took up Alan Mullery's offer of a trial with Albion and was subsequently offered a short-term contract with the Seagulls, which he declined in the belief that he needed to start earning some money.

Quinn, an elegant midfielder, went on to play for Worthing, Maidstone, Bognor and Yeovil but injuries eventually caught up with him.

Since turning to management, it has not been plain sailing at Lewes and at one point he resigned as manager in protest at the club's off-field problems.

The arrival of the current board of directors tempted him back and last season Lewes were promoted as runners-up of Ryman division three, winning the Sussex Senior Cup in the process.

Quinn said: "I am absolutely thrilled for the directors. If they hadn't come in, quite possibly there would have been no club.

"They have given us the stability to build things on. I told the directors at the start of last season that to get promotion I needed three players: Marc Cable, Justin Harris and Paul Thomsett. Those three on top of what we had would make the difference. We got those three and they have become the backbone of the side."

Quinn is also quick to share the credit. "Management is all about getting the right people around you. Some people are quick to say Jimmy has done it all but people is a team game.

"I have got people like Billy Nixon, Ralph Cella, Alan Hatherillo and Mike Yaxley as well as all the people who watch players and watch games for me. They have got to enjoy the day on Sunday as well."

Quinn despises clubs who spend money they have not got and he applauds Lewes's decision to spend their FA Cup money on improving the Dripping Pan in the form of a new stand behind the goal at the clubhouse end of the ground.

He said: "If for any reason I was to leave tomorrow, there will be something there to show for what we have done."

The job is still not finished. Quinn would love to gain a second successive promotion and he also wants to continue progressing in the FA Vase.

And what about an FA Cup second round tie?

Quinn laughed, contemplated the question and said: "We are big outsiders but there is always a sporting chance."