Salford City make FA Cup history fielding the competition’s youngest ever player

Fifteen-year-old Salford footballer Marshall Heys has made history by becoming the youngest ever player in the FA Cup.

The Salford City player featured in the first round of the FA Cup, when the young man stepped onto the pitch in the final stages to help secure a crucial victory over Shrewsbury Town.

The Ammies have advanced to the second round, but all the eyes were on Heys who ran onto the pitch at just 15 years, two months, and six days old – the youngest to play in the FA Cup for a professional team.

The teenager has already had an impressionable week, setting up Ruben Butt’s stoppage time winner in their match against Huddersfield Town Under-18s in the FA Youth Cup.

His efforts in the FA Cup Youth Cup caught the eye of manager Karl Robinson, allowing the young man to train with Salford City’s first team and was subsequently named in the squad for Saturday’s FA Cup tie against Shrewsbury Town.

Although the youngster was on the pitch for a brief period, replacing Josh Austerfield, the experience will be one he won’t forget.

And after the game Salford’s Karl Robinson, spoke on the desire an attitude of Marshall Heys, he said: “He’s a brave little so and so, he’s aggressive and he’s got the tenacity.

“He actually asked me when am I going on? 15 years of age asking a manager ‘when am I going on?’ is a bit like who do you think you are.

“But he certainly backed that confidence up when he came on. He was only on for 7 minutes but he won every single tackle, he wasn’t fearful.”

Robinson continued: “He had three duels and won three of them.

“His bravery is just incredible, but he’s done the easy bit, which is getting here. The hardest bit is to now in the next few years to find that balance to drop back down and still be the best player at the club.”

At 15 years, 2 months and 6 days, Marshall Heys becomes the youngest ever player to appear in the @EmiratesFACup for a professional club 👏 pic.twitter.com/Oo9Gg00kiG

— Salford City FC (@SalfordCityFC) November 2, 2024

The FA Cup debut for Heys will be unforgettable and with the Ammies winning 2-1, thanks to Matty Lund’s first-half brace, it seems that he will have the chance to impress once again in the next round.

Salford City FC have three players in the top ten youngest players to play in the FA Cup, and it is credit to the managers encouragement of youth talent, as Robinson added: “To see our football club hold that record is really important for the future, for who we are and what we want to be.

“I love working with young players, It’s who I am as a person. Giving people that opportunity is so important.”

He continued: “I’ve got three players, the top 10 youngest players, playing the FA Cup that’s put a smile on my face, and I’m so proud of all of them.”