Fleetwood Town manager Matt Lawlor relishing Carabao Cup showdown with Premier League champions Arsenal

Former Bamber Bridge captain Matt Lawlor is relishing the opportunity of pitting his wits against Mikel Arteta on Tuesday evening.

It was only five years ago that Lawlor was the mainstay of Brig’s defence, but fast-forward to 2026, he is now in charge of Fleetwood Town and looking to cause a huge upset in the Carabao Cup.

The Cod Army welcome the Premier League champions to Highbury in the fourth round of the competition.

It is arguably Fleetwood’s biggest game in their 118-year history which has been spent largely in non-league before they won promotion to the Football League in 2012.

Lawlor began his playing career at Farsley Celtic in the National League before joining Brig where he became a club stalwart.

He helped the club win their first trophy in a number of years when they won the NPL League cup in 2017, before leading the club to promotion to the NPL Premier Division the season after.

His burgeoning coaching career with Fleetwood’s youth set-up ultimately led to him hanging up his boots in April 2021 at the age of 32.

On two occasions in 2023 and 2024, Lawlor was asked to take over the first-team at Fleetwood on a caretaker basis and also took up a similar position at the Cod army’s partner club League of Ireland Premier Division side Waterford.

At the end of the 2025 campaign, he took charge of Waterfoot on a interim basis helping the club stave off the threat of relegation after a relegation play-off.

He returned to Fleetwood and in January was asked to take over the club temporarily following the dismissal of Pete Wild.

The 38-year-old, who was born in Poulton-le-Fylde, guided the Cod Army to calmer waters and was handed the job on a permanent basis in March.

Now he will get the chance to pit his wits against one of the world managerial titans.

“I try not to get too wrapped up in it, but it is crazy to think that I was doing that (managing Waterfoot) 12 months ago ,” Lawlor said at pre-match Press conference.

“I can remember the feelings that I had then sat in a house in a different country trying to prepare for a different type of game, but the process is no different from that to this.

“Me and Mikel are doing the same job aren’t we but obviously at different ends of the professional pyramid and different pressures.”

Lawlor - who also enjoyed a temporary stint as Brig manager - is hoping this kind of experience is just the start for him in his managerial career.

“That’s the dream, that’s the hope of any young manager,” he added. “I think I am the fifth or sixth youngest manager in the country so for me to go through this from 12 months ago is absolutely amazing but I have worked my socks off to be in this position.”

Lawlor is hopeful his men can put up a good performance against the side, whose old home in Islington was called Highbury.

“It’s an amazing night for the club, the fans, the town and the area,” Lawlor added. “To be able to represent the town on the national stage is amazing.

“We’re glad it’s here. We’re welcoming the best team in the country, the champions of last year, to Highbury.”