Weymouth ‘keeper Jason Matthews is in the running for The FA’s prestigious FA Cup ‘Player of the Round’ award after his First Round heroics at the weekend.
Jason made several late saves, including one at point blank range, to earn Weymouth a well-deserved replay against the twice European Cup winners Nottingham Forest, after a 1 – 1 draw.
Now Weymouth fans are being urged to show their support for Matthews by voting for him in an on-line poll at www.TheFA.com
Fans have just seven days to vote before the deadline of 9.00am on Monday, November 14.
Matthews is one of five players short-listed for The FA Cup Player of the Round award, run in partnership with UMBRO. The others are Northwich Victoria’s Paul Brayson, Burscough’s Karl Bell, Colchester United’s Mark Yeates and Stevenage Borough’s George Boyd.
If Matthews gets the most votes, in addition to being crowned FA Cup ‘Player of the Round’, he will win £1000 worth of UMBRO football kit for a local school, club or organisation of his choice.
Matthews would be the fifth player to join The FA’s Team of The FA Cup, guaranteeing him VIP attendance at the 125th FA Cup final at the new Wembley stadium, on May 13 2006.
He would also be guaranteed the chance-of-a-lifetime introduction to The FA Cup final crowd, pitch side at half-time.
Sir Trevor Brooking, The FA’s Director of Football Development, said: “Jason thoroughly deserves to be nominated for The FA Cup Player of the Round award after his superb display. Now fans have the chance to show their support by helping him win £1000 worth of UMBRO kit, to boost grass roots football in the community, and to book him a VIP place at the 125th FA Cup final in seven months time.”
The Team of The FA Cup comprises Player of the Round winners from the First Qualifying Round to the Semi Final. In the last two years several Premiership players have featured alongside non-league players, including Jose Antonio Reyes, Freddie Ljungberg, Shay Given and Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Gosport Borough’s Jamie Laidlaw, Northwich Victoria’s Paul Brayson, Leamington’s Alex Rodman and Eastbourne Borough’s Stuart Tuck are already in this season’s Team of The FA Cup, having won previous Player of the Round awards.
