It must be a remarkable feeling for a father to play a professional football game on the same team as their son. It’s a mark of their longevity – the nature of parenthood means they’ll likely be well into their thirties before their offspring is old enough to play, while securing a unique slice of football folklore.
The third round of the 2024/25 FA Cup looked set to create history when Everton took on Peterborough: in more than 150 years of the oldest domestic cup competition in world football, no father had ever played AGAINST their son in the same game before.
That was all set to change when the Toffees took on the Posh as Ashley Young lined up for the Premier League side against his son, Tyler. However, mean-spirited Peterborough boss, Darren Ferguson, had other ideas.
Party Pooper
Ashley and Tyler Young before the match. 💙 pic.twitter.com/dHAX8ak8Xq
— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Football__Tweet) January 9, 2025
Young Snr was named on the bench by Everton, who had sacked manager Sean Dyche just hours before kick-off. And Young Jnr was named amongst the substitutes for Peterborough too, although it was expected that both would get a run-out to mark the historic moment. Beto gave Everton the lead just before half-time, before Ashley Young was brought on as substitute in the second period.
Ferguson made four of his five allotted substitutes, but with time running out and his side 0-1 down, he had a choice to make: bring on an attacker to chase the equaliser, or give Young – a defensive midfielder by trade – his moment of infamy. As the son of the notoriously crabby Sir Alex Ferguson, you probably know what happened next: striker Malik Mothersille was sent on to try and rescue the game for the Posh.
Afterwards, Ferguson defended his substitutions, declaring that Peterborough aren’t a ‘charity case’. “As much as I wanted Tyler to get on, I had to get a forward on. I have got to try and get something out of the game. I have got to do what is best for my team,” he reasoned.
One unnamed Everton player reportedly verbally abused Ferguson over his decision, although Young Snr offered a more pragmatic opinion on Twitter:
GUTTED……
— Ashley Young (@youngy18) January 10, 2025
So the Youngs were to be denied, and it’s hard to find any instances in which a father has played in a professional game against his son. However, there are examples of a father and son playing for the same team in the same game.
Like Father, Like Son
7. Alexei Eremenko Sr and Alexei Eremenko Jr
Father and son Eremenko won the league together in Finland pic.twitter.com/qPwGPtl9wQ
— Nungua Burnaboy (@views09) December 4, 2024
Two legends of world football proved that the apple often doesn’t fall far from the tree when lining up alongside their sons. Rivaldo, the World Cup and Ballon d’Or winner, came out of retirement in 2015 aged 43 to play for cherished local club Mogi Mirim, whose ranks included the former Barcelona man’s son, Rivaldinho.
Henrik & Jordan Larsson
The sugary sweet turn of fortunes was enhanced yet further when Rivaldo played a part in the build-up to a goal netted by Rivaldinho in a 3-1 win. Another iconic marksman of world football is Henrik Larsson, who would play on until the age of 41 with Swedish lower league side Hogaborgs.
An injury crisis saw his 15-year-old son, Jordan, called up for the first team, with the two ending up on the pitch at the same time when Henrik was substituted on during the 4-2 win, in which Jordan would net his first senior goal.
Ian & Gary Bowyer
The familial connection is complicated when the father also happens to be the player-manager of the team. But Ian Bowyer waved aside any accusations of nepotism when he selected his offspring, Gary, in the same starting eleven as him for Hereford United during the 1989/90 season.
“The first time we played together my dad was a sub and we were losing at Scunthorpe,” Gary would later recall. “He brought himself on and we came back to draw 3-3. I scored the equaliser and, looking back, I think he was the only one who didn’t come and congratulate me, because it was my fault for the first goal.”
George Edward Eastham Jr. & Sr.
George Eastham Jr, who would go on to win the World Cup with England in 1966, made his senior debut alongside dad George for Northern Irish side Ards, while Alex Herd – a First Division winner with Manchester City – featured alongside his son, David, while turning out for Stockport County.
Arnor & Eidur Gudjohnsen
Eidur Gudjohnsen, the former Chelsea and Barcelona striker, was selected to play alongside his dad, Arnor, for the Iceland national team. But, sadly, Eidur broke his ankle in a club game and the magic moment was cancelled. “It remains my biggest regret that we did not get to play together,” his father said.
But there was at least some crumb of comfort when they shared the same pitch – albeit briefly – together when the 17-year-old Eidur made his international debut in 1996. He was substituted on, taking the place of his father, with whom he shared an emotional embrace. According to the Guinness Book of Records, that was the first time that a father and son had played for their international team together.
Alexei Eremenko Jr. & Sr.
But leading the way in the father-son stakes has to be Alexei Eremenko Snr, who played alongside two of his children at different clubs, and managed a third! He played most of his club career in his native Russia for the likes of Spartak and Dynamo Moscow, before latterly making the move to Finland to turn out for Jaro and HJK Helsinki. It was at the latter that Alexei Eremenko lined up alongside his son, Alexei Jr, and together they helped HJK to win two Finnish Veikkausliiga titles.
Dad left the Helsinki outfit to rejoin Jaro, where young Roman Eremenko would soon make his debut in the same game that his father played the full 90 minutes. As if that wasn’t enough of a family affair for the Eremenko clan, Alexei Snr would go on to manage Jaro between 2009 and 2016. One of the players he handed a debut to? His youngest son, Sergei, who remains at the club to this day.