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The third round of the 2020-21 edition of the FA Cup went down at the weekend, and considering the current issues across England with COVID-19, it was largely a success. Most notably, youngsters Alfie Devine (Tottenham) and Louie Barry (Aston Villa) burst onto the scene with their first senior goals.
Over the years, many players have made a name for themselves in the FA Cup, with the competition giving a chance to youngsters and struggling signings alike.
Whether Barry and Devine make it to the top is anyone’s guess. But if they do, they’ll have followed in the footsteps of these five players, who all made a name for themselves in the FA Cup.
#1 Curtis Jones (Liverpool, FA Cup 2019-20)
When Liverpool were drawn against Merseyside rivals Everton in the third round of the 2019-20 FA Cup, eyebrows were immediately raised. This was one of the biggest matches to happen in the FA Cup’s third round in years.
However, when the game came around, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was clearly concerned about the pile-up of fixtures on his first-team stars. After all, they’d just come off a hectic Christmas period that saw them play six games in the space of two weeks.
And so for the FA Cup tie against Everton, Klopp named a side filled largely with academy products and fringe players. Despite this, the Reds came out on top, advancing to the FA Cup’s fourth round. And it was one of those academy products who sent them there.
18-year-old midfielder Curtis Jones – who’d only played a handful of first-team matches – scored the winning goal, and it wasn’t any ordinary goal, either.
Jones hit a stunning, curling shot from the edge of the box that gave Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford no chance. It was a goal worthy of winning any game – let alone a Merseyside derby in the FA Cup.
Since making his name in the FA Cup tie, Jones has gone from strength to strength. He is now one of Klopp’s first-team regulars in the heart of Liverpool’s midfield.
#2 Jack Grealish (Aston Villa, FA Cup 2014-15)
Jack Grealish is now widely recognized as one of the Premier League’s best players. However, this time six years ago, the mercurial Aston Villa playmaker was still largely an unknown, having just begun to break into Villa’s first team as an academy product.
Just 19 years old at the time, then-Villa boss Paul Lambert began to make use of Grealish in the 2014-15 edition of the FA Cup. And it was in Villa’s third-round victory over Blackpool that he made his first start for the club.
Grealish made appearances from the bench in Villa’s next three FA Cup games – with his quarter-final showing against West Bromwich Albion ending badly when he was red-carded for a dive.
However, when Villa’s FA Cup semi-final with Liverpool came around, Grealish was given a start by new boss Tim Sherwood, and the teenager’s impact was stunning.
Despite his side falling behind in the first half, Grealish’s dribbling skills caused chaos in Liverpool’s defense throughout the game. The playmaker was key to Villa winning the game 2-1, as he helped to create Christian Benteke’s equalizer and then assisted for Fabien Delph’s winner.
Suddenly, Grealish was the name on every Villa fan’s lips. And although it took him a few more seasons to really establish himself, it was his starring role in the FA Cup against Liverpool that made his name.
#3 Daniel Amokachi (Everton, FA Cup 1994-95)
Nigerian striker Daniel Amokachi was signed by Everton in the summer of 1994, following some impressive performances in that summer’s World Cup. The Toffees parted with £3m to bring him to Goodison Park – a big fee at the time. But for a long time, it felt like money wasted.
Amokachi failed to make any kind of impact in his debut season on Merseyside, making just 18 appearances – many from the bench. He scored just four goals as Everton struggled for Premier League traction.
However, when the Toffees made it to the FA Cup semi-finals to take on Tottenham Hotspur, nobody could’ve foreseen what happened next. To put it simply, the Nigerian striker ended up becoming one of the cult heroes of the FA Cup’s modern era.
With his side leading the game 2-1 and Tottenham pushing hard for an equalizer, Everton striker Paul Rideout went down with an injury. Toffees boss Joe Royle instructed Amokachi – who was on the bench – to warm up. But incredibly, the Nigerian ignored that request, and somehow substituted himself on.
A furious Royle attempted to call him back, but it was too late. However, just 10 minutes later, a breakaway attack from Everton ended with Amokachi firing a header into the net, shocking the fans in attendance.
And with the game ticking away from Spurs, they attempted one more attack – only for Everton to hit them on the break again. And once again, it was Amokachi who found himself unmarked, and the Nigerian fired home to etch his name into FA Cup history.
Amokachi only played one more season at Goodison Park and only scored another handful of goals. But he’s still remembered as a cult hero by Everton fans today for his legendary FA Cup performance.
#4 Aaron Ramsey (Cardiff City, FA Cup 2007-08)
Now starring for Juventus in Italy’s Serie A, Wales international Aaron Ramsey is widely recognized as one of the best Premier League midfielders of his generation. But while Ramsey’s largest accomplishments came with Arsenal, the Welshman made his name with Cardiff City during their miraculous 2007-08 FA Cup run.
Just 17 years old at the time, Ramsey signed a professional contract with Cardiff in December 2007. He then scored his first goal for the club in their FA Cup third-round win over Chasetown.
From there, Ramsey established himself as a first-team regular with the Bluebirds. He ended up playing five of Cardiff’s six FA Cup games, as they incredibly made their way to the final despite being an EFL Championship side.
Although Portsmouth eventually beat Cardiff in the final, Ramsey was widely praised for his performance and became the second-youngest player ever to take part in an FA Cup final.
Ramsey’s FA Cup performances were enough to open the eyes of the Premier League’s giants. And despite Manchester United and Everton showing an interest in signing the Welsh teenager, Arsenal eventually secured his signature just weeks after the FA Cup final.
The rest, of course, is history, and Ramsey went on to win the FA Cup on three occasions with the Gunners. However, it was his FA Cup performances for Cardiff that paved the way for him.
#5 Billy Gilmour (Chelsea, FA Cup 2019-20)
While Arsenal eventually lifted the FA Cup in the 2019-20 season, there’s an argument that the most seismic performance of the competition came in the fifth round. That round saw Chelsea defeat Premier League champions-elect Liverpool, and one player in particular impressed greatly.
That player was 18-year-old midfielder Billy Gilmour, who at the time had only played a couple of matches for the Blues. But after being added to Chelsea’s first-team squad on a permanent basis in February 2020, Blues boss Frank Lampard decided he was ready for a real test. The Blues manager chose him to start the FA Cup tie with Liverpool.
And despite coming up against the likes of Fabinho, Adam Lallana, and Sadio Mane, the Scottish teenager was able to boss the game from the center of the park.
Chelsea eventually ran out 2-0 winners, and while Gilmour didn’t score, he was singled out for praise after the game by Lampard. The Chelsea boss labeled Gilmour's performance as “incredible”, and described him as a “throwback” midfielder who seemed calm beyond his years.
An injury derailed Gilmour for the latter part of the 2019-20 campaign, but since then, he’s returned to action and is now once again a part of Chelsea’s first-team. In fact, the teenager once again starred in an FA Cup game this weekend, this time against Morecambe.
It’s clear that Gilmour’s future is a bright one. When his career is looked back upon in years to come, fans will never forget his breakout performance in the FA Cup.
