SHREWSBURY TOWN’S players celebrated their FA Cup draw with Liverpool by eating Nando’s and listening to Drake.
The League One outfit battled back from 2-0 down at New Meadow to draw 2-2 with the European champions yesterday and having swapped shirts at full-time the dressing room was full of starstruck footballers.
Shaun Whalley and goalscorer Jason Cummings celebrate Shrewsbury’s FA Cup draw with LiverpoolCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Cummings scored twice in the second-half to draw his team level from 2-0 downCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Josh Laurent posed with the man-of-the-match trophy after the gameCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Having been 2-0 down just a minute into the second-half, Jason Cummings’ came off the bench on the hour mark to score a ten minute brace and leave the Shrews pushing for a winner for the last 15 minutes.
But it wasn’t to be, much to the irritation of manager Sam Ricketts.
Addressing his players after the game, Ricketts managed to see the funny side after composing himself, according to the Times.
He said: “You f***ers. The game was there to be won and you just wanted to go to Anfield, didn’t you?
“It is all there for you now.
“Enjoy it, well done, now let’s have some music.”
Little more than 24 hours earlier, Ricketts had seemingly tempted fate when he told his players: “Stay in the game, Cummings can come on, he’s a goalscorer.”
Home fans invaded the pitch at the final-whistle, such was their joy at having nabbed a draw against the Premier League winners in waiting.
But inside, to help celebrate their dramatic achievement, sports therapist Gregg Jones walked in with a mountain of Nando’s chicken as Drake tunes were blasted out of the speaker system.
And Shaun Walley – who swapped shirts with Roberto Firmino at the final-whistle – sat admiring his keepsake from one of the biggest games of his career.
Having come through what assistant manager Graham Burrow called “the day for the f***ing brave”, Shrewsbury now travel to Anfield on February 4 for the FA Cup replay.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has said he will boycott the game and play a reserve side as it will fall during the Premier League’s inaugural winter break.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
