Going strong at 37 - the FA Cup record breaker who faced Man Utd in final

"At nan clip I didn't understand really large an juncture it was," says Curtis Weston. "Looking backmost now, it was a monolithic infinitesimal successful my life moreover though it only lasted a fewer minutes."

In 2004 Weston made history erstwhile he became nan youngest subordinate to look successful an FA Cup last aged 17 years and 119 days.

It is simply a grounds that remains to this day.

Millwall trailed Manchester United 3-0 astatine nan Millennium Stadium successful Cardiff erstwhile Weston came connected for player-manager Dennis Wise successful nan 89th minute.

It was only nan 2nd elder quality of his career.

Twenty years connected and nan seasoned of 300-plus Football League appearances is getting fresh to play for non-league Derbyshire broadside Mickleover against Anstey Nomads successful nan 2nd qualifying information of nan FA Cup connected Saturday (15:00 BST).

"The 2nd qualifying information is simply a long, agelong measurement from nan final," midfielder Weston, 37, tells BBC Sport.

"But playing successful nan FA Cup still brings maine an atrocious batch of pleasure."

London-born Weston grew up a Manchester United instrumentality and joined Millwall astatine nan property of 14.

Twenty years agone he had not moreover made his elder debut erstwhile they booked their first FA Cup last quality by defeating First Division rivals Sunderland 1-0 successful nan semi-final astatine Old Trafford.

Thirteen days earlier nan final, Weston came connected arsenic a second-half substitute successful nan last convention lucifer of nan season, a 1-0 location triumph complete Bradford City.

He remembers nan elation he felt aft discovering soon aft that he had made nan cup last squad and would beryllium travelling to nan showpiece pinch nan likes of Tim Cahill, Neil Harris and Wise.

"Don't hide I was 17, a kid, and I was going to nan FA Cup final," he says. "It was a awesome accomplishment successful itself to beryllium named successful nan squad.

"It was only connected nan time of nan last I was told I was going to beryllium connected nan bench. I was surprised, shocked, truthful excited."

Manchester United's squad that time included a 19-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, Roy Keane, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs.

"I spent arsenic overmuch clip arsenic imaginable warming up connected nan broadside of nan transportation to soak up nan atmosphere, getting adjacent to nan action because Ronaldo was doing each his tricks," recalls Weston.

United, nan basking favourites, were successful complete power acknowledgment to goals by Ronaldo and Van Nistelrooy (2) erstwhile Weston's large infinitesimal arrived.

"Dennis shouted towards Ray Wilkins [his assistant] that he was coming disconnected and nan kid should travel on. So Ray called maine complete and told maine to get ready.

"I was tense moreover though location were only a fewer minutes left."

As Wise came disconnected he embraced Weston and told nan youngster to "go and bask yourself".

"I will ne'er hide it," says Weston. "I sneaked into nan squad astatine nan extremity of Millwall's FA Cup travel having not played a infinitesimal of nan different ties."

Weston went connected to walk a further 2 years astatine Millwall earlier pursuing Wise to Swindon Town and past Leeds United.

In 2009, he won promotion pinch Gillingham astatine Wembley successful nan League Two play-off final. More recently, Weston captained Chesterfield against Chelsea successful nan FA Cup astatine Stamford Bridge.

Weston will observe his 38th day successful January pinch nary thoughts of retirement.

Around 12 years agone he changed his nutrition and made immoderate manner changes to prolong his career.

"Had I carried connected doing what I was doing I astir apt would person been forced to discontinue years ago," adds Weston, who lives successful Derby pinch woman Hannah and 3 children Tabitha, 17, Zachariah, 5, and Marcy, 2.

"I didn't ever do everything I was expected to do successful position of giving myself nan champion imaginable chance of playing astatine nan highest level.

"If you springiness yourself a chance successful position of eating nan correct things, staying fresh and being disciplined, not going retired arsenic much... I do nan correct things now.

"Those changes person enabled maine to play this agelong and consciousness this good."

It was only successful nan summertime of 2023 that Weston dropped into part-time shot erstwhile he signed for Buxton earlier joining Mickleover,, external who play successful nan seventh tier Northern Premier League Premier Division, successful July.

"Every twelvemonth I person a chat pinch Hannah [about whether to transportation connected playing]. I ever opportunity 'this could beryllium my past season' and she conscionable rolls her eyes," he laughs.

Weston combines playing pinch a full-time occupation successful audit recruitment.

"This is my 21st play arsenic a player. Until I suffer that drive, I want to support connected playing."

Weston has Mikael Silvestre's garment from nan 2004 last framed connected a wall astatine his location successful Derby, on pinch his ain bluish and achromatic number 11 garment from that day.

They service arsenic reminders of nan time Weston made FA Cup history.

"It's funny because Dennis [Wise] contacted maine precocious connected societal media to spot really I was doing," he adds.

"It's crazy really clip flies. I cognize it's 20 years agone but I retrieve it each for illustration it was yesterday."