I broke FA Cup record against Man Utd in final.. 20 years later I’m playing for non-league side in qualifying round
CURTIS WESTON made history against Manchester United in the 2004 FA Cup final… and is still going in non-league 20 years later.
The midfielder, 37, came on for Millwall‘s player-manager Dennis Wise in the 89th minute at the Millenium Stadium.
The second-tier side trailed 3-0 when Weston entered the fray – and that was how it stayed.
Yet despite it only being a brief appearance, he still made history as the youngest player to participate in an FA Cup final at the age of just 17 years and 119 days.
It was only the second game of his career – and the record still stands today.
Speaking to BBC Sport, he said: “Don’t forget I was 17, a kid, and I was going to the FA Cup final. It was a great achievement in itself to be named in the squad.
“It was only on the day of the final I was told I was going to be on the bench. I was surprised, shocked, so excited.”
He added: “I spent as much time as possible warming up on the side of the pitch to soak up the atmosphere, getting close to the action because [Cristiano] Ronaldo was doing all his tricks.”
More than two decades on and Weston, who still has ex-Man Utd defender Mikael Silvestre’s shirt, is yet to hang up his boots as he continues his career in the lower divisions.
After leaving Millwall in 2006, he went on to play for Swindon, Leeds, Gillingham, Barnet and Chesterfield.
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He won the League Two play-offs with Gillingham and Conference with Barnet, before he dropped down to non-league.
Brief stints at AFC Fylde and Buxton in the National League North followed.
And now he is preparing to return to FA Cup qualifying with Derbyshire-based outfit Mickleover.
Weston’s side will come up against Anstey Nomads in the second qualifying round on Saturday.
He said: “The second qualifying round is a long, long way from the final.
“But playing in the FA Cup still brings me an awful lot of pleasure.”
Weston also revealed his former Millwall manager Wise recently contacted him.
He added: “It’s funny because Dennis [Wise] contacted me recently on social media to see how I was doing.
“It’s crazy how time flies. I know it’s 20 years ago but I remember it all like it was yesterday.”