A schoolboy from the Isle of Wight has become the youngest goalscorer in the 151-year history of the FA Cup.
Finn Smith scored for Newport in their 3-1 extra-preliminary round win against Fleet Town a day after his 16th birthday.
‘I’m well chuffed,’ the teenager said.
Finn Smith, 16-years old of Newport FC is now the younger goalscorer in FA Cup history
‘I’ve been getting loads of messages from people saying congratulations and how proud they are. It’s hard to take it all in if I’m honest.’
Smith doesn’t start in the sixth form of his local secondary school until next month.
The midfielder had only signed for the Wessex League Division One side on his birthday, August 5, so was making his senior debut.
‘It was a close game so I wasn’t really expecting to get on the pitch,’ he said.
‘I noticed their left-back had maybe pulled his hamstring, so I just ran through the middle of the field, past the defender and called for the ball. My team-mate passed to me in the box and I just tapped it in.’
Liverpool won the FA Cup for the eighth time last year to complete a domestic double
It was only later that Smith realised he had written his name into the history books of the world-famous competition.
‘When I was walking into the changing room after the game, I heard all the lads talking and on their phones,’ he said.
‘They were saying that I might have beaten the record. They were searching on their phones. I was just shocked.
‘I went to a beach party to celebrate.’
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Several preliminary rounds have already taken place early on in the domestic season
A week later, the Football Association confirmed Smith as the new youngest goalscorer in the competition’s history, aged 16 years and one day.
Players must be 16 or over to play in the FA Cup. The competition’s previous record-holder was 16 years and 25 days old.
Smith’s place in the history books might be assured, but Newport have already been eliminated from this year’s competition.
Yesterday, they lost their preliminary round tie 2-0 to AFC Stoneham.