{"id":296301,"date":"2023-11-04T23:24:52","date_gmt":"2023-11-04T23:24:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports-life-news.com\/?p=296301"},"modified":"2023-11-04T23:24:52","modified_gmt":"2023-11-04T23:24:52","slug":"will-grigg-is-plotting-an-fa-cup-upset-with-chesterfield","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports-life-news.com\/soccer\/will-grigg-is-plotting-an-fa-cup-upset-with-chesterfield\/","title":{"rendered":"Will Grigg is plotting an FA Cup upset with Chesterfield"},"content":{"rendered":"
As the inspiration for football\u2019s catchiest terrace anthem and slayer of Pep Guardiola\u2019s Manchester City, it\u2019s good to know Will Grigg is still on fire. Now 32 and leading the line for non-league Chesterfield, the Northern Ireland international is relishing the spotlight again with Sunday’s televised FA Cup first round tie against Portsmouth.<\/p>\n
Pompey are strong favourites, but so were City when they were beaten by League One Wigan in 2018. Grigg scored the only goal of that fifth-round tie to send David Silva, Sergio Aguero and Ilkay Gundogan packing.<\/p>\n
\u2018It\u2019ll be hard to replicate the excitement of that night again in my career,\u2019 Grigg says. \u2018City were 16 points clear at the top of the Premier League and picked a stronger team than we\u2019d wanted.<\/p>\n
\u2018After 20 minutes, we hadn\u2019t had a kick. A red card for Fabian Delph helped us but it was still a major surprise. When I scored the goal after 79 minutes, I think it was only the second or third touch I\u2019d had.<\/p>\n
\u2018The final whistle was a blur. I wanted to swap shirts with Aguero, but he didn\u2019t. I found out later he\u2019d had an altercation with a fan who had been part of the pitch invasion at the end. so it was understandable.<\/p>\n
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Will Grigg is relishing the prospect of an FA Cup upset with Chesterfield against Portsmouth<\/p>\n
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Grigg was on the scoresheet as Wigan beat Manchester City in the FA Cup back in 2018<\/p>\n
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Grigg was congratulated by Wigan fans on the pitch following their victory against City<\/p>\n
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Grigg became a global sensation with Northern Ireland at Euro 2016 due to his terrace chant<\/p>\n
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\u2018I couldn\u2019t sleep that night \u2013 I must have watched my goal a hundred times. My eldest daughter, Amelie, was centre of attention at her school in Wilmslow the next day. All the United fans in her class were singing the song to her!\u2019<\/p>\n
The song, to the tune of dance classic \u2018Freed from Desire\u2019, started out as a bit of fun by Wigan fan and Youtuber Sean Kennedy, but it became a global sensation once the player starting scoring for Northern Ireland and was part of their Euro 2016 squad.<\/p>\n
Though he didn\u2019t get off the bench in France, he was still a big attraction.<\/p>\n
\u2018The most surreal moment came in Paris when we played Germany,\u2019 he recalls. \u2018As I warmed up, the tune got played over the Tannoy and they put the lyrics on the electronic screens for people to sing.<\/p>\n
\u2018After the game, Mats Hummels took me into the German dressing-room. Thomas Muller and Bastian Schweinsteiger wanted a picture. I stood there thinking: \u201cIt really should be me asking you!\u201d\u2019<\/p>\n
Grigg\u2019s biggest move in club football took him to Sunderland in 2019, but last season was a struggle with MK Dons relegated from League One.<\/p>\n
Then, he benefitted from an unexpected reunion. \u2018The former Wigan chairman David Sharpe invited me to his wedding in Mallorca last summer and I ended up on the same table in this castle as Paul Cook, my manager when we beat City.<\/p>\n
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Grigg says that he wanted to join Chesterfield after being impressed by their ambition<\/p>\n
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Now 32 years old, Grigg has the opportunity to be part of another shock in the FA Cup<\/p>\n
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Although he has mainly played in League One, Grigg is enjoying life in the National League<\/p>\n
\u2018Cooky asked me about coming to Chesterfield. I\u2019d always played above National League level so wasn\u2019t sure, but when I visited the club and saw their ambition, I wanted to be part of it.<\/p>\n
\u2018It\u2019s been a fantastic move so far. We\u2019re top of the division, get crowds of nine- and 10 thousand and I\u2019m scoring goals.\u2019 Grigg has eight so far this season. \u2018I have a great relationship with Cooky. Kieron Dyer has also taken coaching sessions. Now he\u2019s had his liver transplant, I think the plan is for him to return in December.\u2019<\/p>\n
The Portsmouth cup clash is fascinating. Cook used to be in charge at Fratton Park and Spireites captain Tom Naylor spent three years there as a player. A capacity crowd is expected and Grigg insists the underdogs shouldn\u2019t be written off.<\/p>\n
\u2018We\u2019ve got players like Dobs, Armando Dobra, who can play at a higher level. He\u2019s got this low centre of gravity which makes him so difficult to tackle. All the pressure is on Portsmouth. The Wigan-City game might get a mention, to show another upset is possible.\u2019<\/p>\n
It’s All Kicking Off is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube, Apple Music and Spotify.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Your browser does not support iframes.<\/p>\n