Sporting family ties as FA Cup draw throws up Young possibility

The FA Cup third-round draw has thrown up the intriguing possibility of former England full-back Ashley Young lining up against his 18-year-old son Tyler.

Ashley’s Everton will meet League One Peterborough, for whom midfielder Tyler has made a single EFL Trophy appearance, at Goodison Park and there is a chance the 39-year-old and his teenage son could make it on to the pitch at the same time.

While instances of parents and children coming up against each other in professional sport are rare, lining up on the same team is more common.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at some of the most notable family affairs.

Basketball superstar LeBron James and his son Bronny made history in October when they lined up together for the Los Angeles Lakers in a pre-season game against the Phoenix Suns. Bronny celebrated his 20th birthday by joining his 39-year-old father on court as a second-quarter substitute, and the pair broke new ground later the same month when they became the first father and son to play together in an NBA fixture in the Lakers’ season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Griffeys became the first father and son to play Major League Baseball together when they lined up for the Seattle Mariners in August 1990, and a fortnight later hit back-to-back home runs against the California Angels, another first. Griffey Senior, 40, joined his 20-year-old son in Seattle after being released by the Cincinnati Reds and played together on 51 occasions before the older man’s career was ended by injury in 1991.

Brazil superstar Rivaldo returned to first club Mogi Mirim as his career wound down and, at the age of 41, joined his then 18-year-old son on the pitch as a substitute in a 1-1 draw with XV de Piracicaba in a Sao Paulo State League match in February 2014. The former Barcelona and Inter Milan star announced his retirement weeks later, but returned after a 15-month absence to score in the same game as his son, a 3-1 victory over Macae.

In October 1999, celebrated former Australia pace bowler Dennis Lillee ended his illustrious career at the age of 50 by taking three wickets for eight runs for the Australian Cricket Board Chairman’s XI in a seven-wicket victory over tourists Pakistan. He opened the bowling alongside his son Adam, who matched his haul, if slightly more expensively, conceding 29 runs.

The Gudjohnsens came as close as it is possible to playing together without actually managing to do so. Arnor, then 34, started Iceland’s 3-0 friendly victory over Estonia in April 1996 with his teenage son Eidur sitting on the bench. The 17-year-old striker, who would go on to play for Bolton, Chelsea and Barcelona among others, replaced his father as a 62nd-minute substitute and never actually took the field at the same time as one career drew to a close and another blossomed.

Ireland’s rugby union head coach Andy Farrell and former England skipper Owen suffered a similar fate after both were named on the Saracens bench for a pre-season game against Western Force in August 2008. Centre Andy, having been brought on earlier, came off with a thumb injury and was replaced by then 16-year-old Owen, who has gone on to enjoy a glittering club and international career.