Warnock hails great achievement May 06 2008
Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock insisted that guiding the Eagles into the Championship play-offs was the "biggest achievement" of his career after the 5-0 thumping of 10-man Burnley.
Palace were second from bottom when Warnock took over in October but the former Sheffield United boss has completed an impressive turnaround with a young squad.
The Eagles sealed a semi-final tie with Bristol City thanks to goals from Ben Watson, Victor Moses, Tom Soares, Scott Sinclair and Clinton Morrison.
"I can't think of a better achievement in my career. To go from second bottom in November into the play-offs, never mind winning them, is a great effort from all the lads," Warnock said.
"We have a 25% chance now and let's see what happens. It can come down to a lucky break or an individual piece of skill.
"It's been a great challenge. We haven't spent much money and brought the kids through as no one wanted to play for us so it's remarkable.
"The last day of last year was a trying time for me when I went down with Sheffield United and I wouldn't put anyone though the 12 months I have had.
"But we will have a normal week this week and they are two league games as far as I am concerned.
"I've won six promotions in my career - but my lucky number is seven."
Warnock has never lost a play-off semi-final in a career which has seen him win six promotions with Notts County, Plymouth, Huddersfield, Scarborough and Sheffield United.
His only blip came with a defeat in the Championship final to Wolves in Cardiff five years ago but Warnock insists there is no secret to success.
He said: "It's a recurring dream or nightmare I suppose.
"In your wildest dreams you don't expect to score five but we've been positive all week and I haven't felt any pressure.
"I've never lost at Wembley. I've taken teams who finished 18 points clear and won and took teams that snuck in on the last day and won so there is no formula.
"You don't have to win the first game and over the two games the best team normally wins."
Burnley boss Owen Coyle was seething with the game-changing decision which saw Clarke Carlisle sent off for bringing down Scott Sinclair in the sixth minute.
Referee Kevin Friend awarded a penalty which Watson converted but Coyle was adamant that Sinclair was offside.
He said: "If somebody said that would happen before the game you wouldn't have envisaged it.
"There is no getting away from the fact that for the first goal and the sending off the lad is five yards offside and the linesman didn't flag.
"The two centre-backs should have dealt with it but they let it bounce and all of a sudden we're one-nil down with 10 men.
"It's an incredible decision. He was so far offside that he was practically past goalkeeper Brian Jensen.
"I've said before that you need good players and good luck in football and I don't remember one decision going our way."
The Clarets flirted with a play-off place in the early part of the season and Coyle hopes that witnessing the celebrations at Selhurst Park will spur on his side for next season.
He added: "We gave away possession time and again but Palace were very clinical. They are in the play-offs and that tells it's own story.
"That atmosphere that we have just seen was incredible. I've told the players that if they have any ambition and desire they will strive to have that at Turf Moor next season.
"I've told them in the dressing room to make sure that nothing like that ever happens again, whether it's the last game of the season or not."