BARNSLEY are set to face York City in the first round of the FA Cup tomorrow but there are few players that know more about what the competition means to Reds fans than Luke Steele – and 17 years on from making his debut against Liverpool he says it’s still the best cup in the world.
The shot stopper joined the Reds on an emergency month-long loan in February 2008 after an injury to first-team ‘keeper Heinz Muller while Tony Warner was cup tied.
He admits that the move came around so quickly but jumped at the chance to join Simon Davey’s side.
He told the Chronicle: “The build up was really quick.
“I got a phone call on the Wednesday from Dan Ashworth and I wasn’t even close to playing at West Brom but I had the opportunity to gout on loan.
“He said the first game is Anfield away in the FA Cup so for me as a Manchester United fan it was the perfect fixture so I jumped at the chance.
“I got in the car, stayed in the Holiday Inn at Dodworth on the Wednesday and then met the team and trained with them.”
He admits couldn’t have imagined walking out of Anfield, against a side which included superstars Xabi Alonso and Jamie Carragher, victorious.
“I was very nervous, very anxious,” he said.
“I kept thinking to myself that if we lose 3-0 and I make some good saves then it might get me noticed.
“People might think that’s a negative way to look at it but that’s the truth.
“I never, never believed that we’d win at Anfield – I just wanted to play well.
“Liverpool were a fantastic side at the time and they had some great players.
“As soon as the whistle went I kind of went into autopilot and it’s amazing.
“That game’s so special to meet because it’s the one that got me up and running.”
And after winning player of the round due to his sensational performance, Barnsley were rewarded with a home tie against the current holders of the FA Cup Chelsea.
Luke says he enjoyed that game at Oakwell more than the Liverpool one – but again he was shocked the Reds came away with the win.
He said: “I don’t think we believed that we won win.
“We’d already beaten Liverpool and we thought that Chelsea would be wary of us.
“They put out a fantastic side – I think it was only Petr Cech and Frank Lampard who didn’t play.
“It’s an achievement on its own to be a Championship player and get to the quarter finals so to play against a side like that was great.
“Again I was nervous but I just remember Oakwell being packed out – there wasn’t an empty seat in sight.
“It was the fullest I ever saw it in my time at the club.
“I jut remember the pure joy.
“I was a bit shocked and unprepared for the celebration at Anfield and thought I should play it cool but after Chelsea I just completely let loose and was carried by fans.
“I had ransomers hugging and kissing me.
“It was one of the best days of my life.”
After reaching the last four, there were concerns that Steele – who had been Barnsley’s best player in the competition up until that point – wouldn’t be able to play at Wembley should the Reds draw his parent club West Brom.
Thankfully they didn’t but heartbreakingly lost 1-0 to Cardiff.
“If we’d have drawn West Brom I wouldn’t have been able to play so that was a bit of luck and then we got Cardiff instead of Premier League Portsmouth so it all seemed to click into place,” he said.
“The game was tough, conceding to such a good goal so early was hard.
“I think I played alright – I didn’t kick very well as usual but we had a couple of really good chances and played well on the day.”
He says to this day it’s the only time he’s cried after a game.
“It was met with a lot of sadness,” he added.
“It’s the only time I’ve ever cried after a game and I don’t know why to this day.
“I think it was just the emotion and everything that built up over those weeks and I wasn’t ready for it.
“I hadn’t been playing in the last few years and then to sit in the middle of Wembley, having lost the semi-finals and knowing just that one more game we’d have been in the final would have been a dream come true.
“I was straight into the drugs testing room after the game and the tears continued.
“Looking back, I realised how much Id gone through and that’s probably why I was so emotional.”
And despite the narrative that the magic of the FA Cup is dying, Luke says it’s still the best competition in the world.
He added: “I always said that I missed the FA Cup more than anything else.
“The Championship was great, but the FA Cup was always that break and it was always that chance to, no matter how you’re doing in the league, you got that chance of the FA Cup.
“I missed the draw in Greece – I know it sounds weird but I missed watching it.
“So there’s so many factors to it.
“Obviously the age of the trophy is phenomenal to be going that long.
“But the FA Cup, there’s nothing more special.
“And when I was managing last year or the last three seasons, I emphasised on the FA Cup every single time and I got the same buzz.”
