The FA Cup offers lower-division players a chance to grab the attention of a national – and sometimes international – audience. Often the interest fades away as quickly as it arrived but the memories will last forever
He’s 25 now and feels his moment has passed. Born and raised in West Bromwich, Geddes works for a local engineering firm and plays semi-professionally. His current circumstances are a world away from some of his former team-mates but he still has a significant FA Cup legacy to look back on. In 2014 he scored a brace for Worcester City in a famous firstround giant killing.
“Coventry were going through a bad patch with different things happening, so we actually did think we could win,” says Geddes. “We had a good team and we had nothing to lose. Apart from the last ten minutes, when they were throwing everyone forward, we battered them. We were comfortable. That’s probably my best moment in football. Especially scoring the second goal, because that was in front of our fans. There were 3,200 of them, something like that. It was just mad.”
Geddes was first discovered at the age of 14, when his Sunday team competed in a tournament in Manchester and his parents were approached by scouts from the city’s two biggest clubs, both keen to take him on trial. He joined Manchester United and lived in nearby digs, twice competing against Barcelona and others in the Nike Premier Cup, a prestigious youth tournament.
Whenever he returned home, Geddes would turn out for Walsall, who operated as a feeder club for Manchester United. At 16, the Saddlers offered him a one-year apprenticeship, followed by a guaranteed two-year professional contract. Believing that he had a better chance of making the grade there, Geddes accepted. It’s something he would approach differently now.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة November 2017 من When Saturday Comes.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة November 2017 من When Saturday Comes.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Pirate Transmission
Broadcasters around the world are paying huge sums to screen football, but they will not be willing to invest if they cannot be protected.
Scandi Drama
Years before it was screened live in the UK, England’s Football League was building a cult following abroad thanks to a visionary broadcaster.
Pot Of Gold
A rare meeting between two local rivals brought FA Cup fever – and a useful financial boost – to one corner of Hertfordshire
Digital Divide
From earnest post-match punditry to being used in actual players’ matchday preparations, the virtual game is becoming increasingly blurred with reality.
Haringey Ladder
The decision to walk off in the face of abuse has shone a national spotlight on a community club with a progressive approach
Bournemouth 0 Norwich City 0
Dean Court may have received a Premier League facelift but against today’s visitors the home team fail to live up to their status, although the low-quality draw they play out is still somehow reassuring.
Room With A View
Hampden Park
Not In The Script
ARSENAL FILM
Out Of Place...
After another unsuccessful qualifying attempt Martin O’Neill is under pressure, while a poor Republic of Ireland squad is only getting weaker
Uncomfortable Truth
At the end of April Sheffield United surprised many people by re-signing Ched Evans, who, following a retrial, has now been found not guilty of the rape charge for which he spent two-and-a-half years in prison.
