CURTIS Weston revealed he recently received a message from Dennis Wise – 20 years after his old Millwall boss helped him create history.
Weston was just seventeen years and 119 days when he came on for player-manager Wise in the 89th minute of the Lions’ 3-0 defeat to Manchester United at the Millennium Stadium.
This weekend, Weston, 37, will be in cup action again when Mickleover, of the Northern Premier League Premier Division, the seventh tier of English football, take on Anstey Nomads in the second qualifying round at the Don Amott Arena in Derbyshire.
It will be a world away from May 22, 2004 when he stepped on to a pitch with Roy Keane, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes. He missed sharing the turf with the scorer of the first goal, Cristiano Ronaldo, who had been substituted five minutes earlier.
“At the time I didn’t understand how big an occasion it was,” Weston said in an interview with BBC Sport. “Looking back now, it was a massive moment in my life even though it only lasted a few minutes.”
Mickleover beat Coleshill Town 5-0 in the first round. If they win this weekend they will be two rounds away from the first round proper.
“The second qualifying round is a long, long way from the final,” midfielder Weston said.
“But playing in the FA Cup still brings me an awful lot of pleasure.”
Weston left Millwall for Swindon Town in 2006. He played more than 300 times in the Football League for Swindon, Leeds United, Scunthorpe, Gillingham and Barnet before dropping into the National league with Chesterfield in 2018.
Weston joined Mickleover from National League North Buxton in the summer.
“It’s funny because Dennis contacted me recently on social media to see how I was doing,” Weston said.
“It’s crazy how time flies. I know it’s 20 years ago but I remember it all like it was yesterday.”
