AArsenal v Manchester United and Tamworth v Tottenham are two of the most exciting games in the FA Cup third round, but Everton’s encounter with Peterborough has the potential to make history. At Goodison Park on Thursday there is a chance that the hosts’ 39-year-old full-back Ashley Young will be in the same place as his 18-year-old son Tyler, a promising midfielder who signed for League One side Posh last summer.

“WOW…dreams could come true #GoosebumpsMoment #YoungVsYoung,” the former England international wrote on X after the draw last month.

It’s rare, but not unprecedented, for a father and son to appear in the same professional game. One of the most famous examples is George Eastham – who died last month aged 88 – and his father, also George, who was player-coach at Ards in Northern Ireland in the 1950s.

Eastham Jr’s career included a place in England’s 1966 World Cup squad as well as spells at Newcastle, Arsenal and Stoke. He made his senior debut alongside his father on the opening day of the 1953/54 season and Ards won the now-defunct Gold Cup that season.

A competition for the most famous player to have shared the field with one of his descendants would be between Rivaldo, the former Brazil international, and Henrik Larsson, formerly of Sweden and Celtic.

In 2015, 43-year-old Rivaldo came out of retirement to play for Mogi Mirim, where he was also president. He appeared alongside his 20-year-old son Rivaldinho and the prolific former Barcelona striker helped set up Rivaldinho’s header and was involved in all three goals in the 3-1 win. Rivaldo said it made him “grateful and happy.”

Larsson, another Barça graduate best known for several seasons at Parkhead, rounded off his unprecedented playing career in 2013 with Swedish fourth division club Högaborgs. The 41-year-old answered the club’s call during an injury crisis and came on as a substitute in the 4-2 win, in which his 15-year-old son Jordan scored. Larsson called playing with his son a “rare luxury.” “We didn’t combine much, but of course I’m proud,” he said.

In the English league, Stockport County fielded a team on the final day of the 1950/51 season that also included Alec Herd and his son David. A 2-0 win over Hartlepool helped secure 10th place in the Third Division North, but that was far from the best result of either player’s career. Alec was part of Manchester City’s first team that won the First Division in 1936-37, contributing to a success in the 1933-34 FA Cup. Herd Jr would go on to win a First Division title and an FA Cup with Manchester United.

Another English example came in 1989-90 when Hereford United player-coach Ian Bowyer – a two-time European Cup winner with Nottingham Forest – chose his son Gary to play alongside him.

In Scottish League 1, Wullie and Lewis Gibson played together for Queen of the South in the win against Edinburgh FC in September 2022. The 38-year-old Wullie, then player-coach, came on as a substitute before his 17-year-old son was introduced in the 87th minute in the 4-1 win.

“It was a strange feeling, it’s a dream come true to play with your dad,” Lewis said. “That’s something not many people get to do.” Gibson Sr., who left the role in December of that year, said, “It’s a proud moment, but not one I’ll think about for long.”

Praise also goes to Icelandic internationals Arnor and Eidur Gudjohnsen, who didn’t manage to take the field together but still created a unique moment together. Eidur, the former Chelsea striker who made his international debut against Estonia in 1996, was introduced for his father. Gudjohnsen Sr. was 34 at the time and his son was 17.

According to uefa.com, they should have started together in Iceland, but Eidur broke his leg. By the time he recovered, Arnor was already retired. “My biggest regret is that we couldn’t play together,” Gudjohnsen Sr. said.

Young Jr was born in 2006 and spent ten years at Arsenal’s academy before being released last year. He made one appearance for Peterborough, coming on as a substitute in the 2-0 EFL Trophy win over Stevenage last October, as his evergreen father is heading towards 750 senior appearances.

An exit against Everton may seem unlikely given Tyler’s lack of playing time, but given the potential PR win for Posh, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him included in the squad. Reacting to Young Sr’s post after the draw, Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson told the BBC: “Ash put a bit of pressure on me there. I have to find a way to include Tyler.”

The game at Goodison Park has the potential to write another chapter in this football story, and in a new way: all of the examples above involve close relatives playing on the same team, not the opposing team. Although it seems doubtful that Young Sr. will adopt the approach recommended in one of the comments on his X post. “I want to see you send him to row Z,” Phill Thomas wrote. “We cannot afford sentimental hesitation.”

Aside from all the media hype and social media chatter, it promises to be a proud day for both of them.