Young v Young: Father and Son Could Make FA Cup History

Ashley Young hopes to face his son Tyler in the FA cup on Thursday

Several fixtures are ahead of us in the FA Cup third round this week, but none is more interesting than Everton’s visit to Peterborough United. Away games such as Arsenal vs Manchester United and Tamworth vs Tottenham might make for great entertainment, but Thursday night at Goodison Park will provide something truly monumental in football.

The game also offers the opportunity for the 39-year-old Ashley Young, an experienced wing-back at Everton, to take on his 18 year old son Tyler Young of Peterborough. Tyler, a promising midfielder, joined Posh from League One last summer and in this FA Cup tie the father and son might go head-to-head.

Ashley Young, England captain, posted a tweet on social media announcing his joy: "WOW... Dreams Might Come True #GoosebumpsMoment #YoungVsYoung," he wrote on X after the draw.

One of Those Rare but Memorable Family Battles.

It’s rare to find a father and son playing against one another in a professional game, but it’s actually been done before. Perhaps the best known example is George Eastham and his father George Eastham Sr. Eastham Jr, who was a 1966 England World Cup squad member, first appeared with his father, the player-manager at Ards in Northern Ireland, during the 1950s. The club won the Gold Cup that year.

A similar great father-son football pairing also emerged from international football. The legendary Brazilian forward Rivaldo retired in 2015 to play for Mogi Mirim at the age of 43. He played on the same team as his 20-year-old son, Rivaldinho. The pair were involved in an historic match, with Rivaldo laying on the opening goal which was scored by Rivaldinho to secure a 3-1 win.

The Swedish winger Henrik Larsson, who previously played for Celtic and Sweden, completed his career with Högaborgs in 2013. In his last game, the 41-year-old scored from the bench in a 4-2 victory against his 15-year-old son Jordan. Larsson described playing with his son as a ‘rare luxury’.

There have been other instances in English football where father and son played together. The last of these came on the final day of the 1950-51 season when Alec Herd and his son David were playing for Stockport County in a 2-0 win over Hartlepool. A further example came in 1989-90 when Hereford United’s Ian Bowyer – a two-time European Cup winner for Nottingham Forest – starred alongside his son, Gary.

More recently, in Scottish League 1, Wullie Gibson, then 38 and player-manager of Queen of the South, came up with his 17-year-old son Lewis during a 4-1 victory over FC Edinburgh. For the young Gibson, it was an "out of this world experience" and "a very unique feeling".

Tyler Young’s Path and the FA Cup Goal?

It wasn't easy for Tyler. He was born in 2006, and he had spent 10 years in the Arsenal academy before being let go last year. He started for Peterborough in October 2024, coming off the bench in a 2-0 defeat to Stevenage in the EFL Trophy.

Ashley Young, meanwhile, is getting close to 750 career starts, and will add one more important one if he plays his son at Goodison Park. Tyler hasn’t had many opportunities to be in action yet, but he is definitely on the radar for the squad. Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson could told the BBC that he will take Tyler into the team given the coverage and the chance for a sensational interview. As Ferguson himself commented on Ashley’s post: "Ash put me under a bit of pressure there. I’ll just have to figure out a way to rope Tyler in."

A Happy Day For Father and Son

When the two Youngs do collide on the pitch, it will be a big day for dad and son, regardless of the outcome. It could well be the most significant family fixture in football history. Almost everyone wants to see the father-son relationship, but some fans are teasing the chance of some rough play. "I want to see you throw him into row Z," one fan commented on Ashley Young’s Instagram, referring to a father-son punch-up. But despite all the publicity, it’s sure to be a proud moment for the Young family.

In the end, whether it plays out or not, Ashley and Tyler might turn out to be something of a football hero's moment that will be remembered forever. Football reminds us that sometimes, it's about what you remember from the game and the memories you make.

Whether it plays out or not, Ashley and Tyler could be having their hero moment on the field and be remembered forever. The game reminds us that sometimes, it's about what we remember and the memories we make on the field.