Peterborough United’s manager, Darren Ferguson, revealed that an Everton player “had a pop” at him after he opted not to bring Tyler Young onto the pitch in a gripping FA Cup third-round clash against his father, Ashley Young, on Thursday evening.
While the veteran former England international Ashley entered the fray as a second-half substitute for Everton, Tyler found himself watching from the bench as the match unfolded at Goodison Park, where Everton secured a 2-0 victory over their third-tier opponents.
Ferguson defended his decision firmly, stating, “I’ve got to do what’s best for my team, and we’re not a charity case. As much as I wanted Tyler to get on the pitch with his dad, I faced some criticism from one of their players, which I believe is completely out of line.”
With Peterborough trailing 1-0 and seeking to snatch an equalizer, Ferguson made his final substitution in the 88th minute.
“My focus is on the team’s best interests, and with the score at 1-0, I was determined to secure a result,” he explained.
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The prospect of a memorable encounter between the Youngs was tantalizing, especially when both were named as substitutes for the match. However, with time running out and Peterborough still down by a goal, Ferguson decided against deploying Tyler, who has only made one senior appearance for the club thus far.
Everton’s goals came from Beto and Iliman Ndiaye, ensuring their progression in the competition.
Ashley Young, who lifted the FA Cup with Manchester United in 2016 and boasts league titles in both England and Italy, had expressed that playing alongside his son would surpass any trophy he had ever won. “For years, I’ve said that playing alongside or against Tyler would eclipse everything I’ve achieved in my career,” he shared on Everton’s official website.
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Prior to kickoff, the father and son shared a moment on the pitch, and Ashley embraced Tyler after the final whistle.
Midfielder Tyler had previously spent time developing his skills at Arsenal, Queens Park Rangers, and MK Dons before joining Peterborough last year, where he made his debut as a substitute back in October.
Ashley finds himself in the twilight of a career that includes World Cup representation for England and stints at prestigious clubs such as Manchester United, Inter Milan, and Aston Villa.
Throughout sports history, there have been several remarkable instances of fathers and sons gracing the same field. Notable examples include World Cup champion Rivaldo, who played alongside his son Rivaldinho in a Brazilian second-division match in 2015, and in October, LeBron and Bronny James made headlines as the first father-son duo in NBA history to compete together. In Major League Baseball back in 1990, Ken Griffey Jr. and Ken Griffey Sr. made history by hitting back-to-back home runs.
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