AFC Wimbledon goalkeeper James Shea would love to follow in Dave Beasant’s footsteps by making an impact against Liverpool – but remarkably admits to not having seen his penalty save from the 1988 FA Cup final.

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Tonight will be a special occasion for everybody associated with the Dons, who are in the FA Cup third round for the first time since their rebirth in 2002.

Player trials on Wimbledon Common and Combined Counties League football seems an awful long time ago now, though, with
the club chasing promotion from League Two and readying themselves for a mouth-watering clash with Liverpool.

The Kingsmeadow encounter brings with it memories of the most famous day in Wimbledon’s history, when the Crazy Gang shocked the Merseyside behemoths to win the FA Cup.

Lawrie Sanchez scored the decisive goal at Wembley that day, although captain Beasant’s save from a John Aldridge penalty
remains the iconic image – one current Wimbledon goalkeeper Shea admits he has yet to see.

“I haven’t seen the save but I’ve heard it is unbelievable,” he said. 

“I remember (former AFC Wimbledon manager) Dave Anderson telling me about it when I was about to join.

“He talked me through the whole history of the club and everything, but I haven’t had the chance to see it yet.

“I’ve seen the goal and inside the stadium there are pictures everywhere. It was a great day for them. They weren’t expected to win and hopefully we can replicate what they did.”

Beasant will be amongst the 4,800 crammed into Kingsmeadow for the tie against the Premier League giants with Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers warning his players they have to start learning to live without Steven Gerrard.

The 34-year-old captain will depart in the summer to pursue a new challenge in MLS, leaving a huge void behind him.

Rodgers said it is time for other players to start realising the responsibility now lies with them.

“It has to come from within. I felt here in my time even when Steven was on the bench the team are looking for him to come into the game,” said the Reds boss. 

“This is an opportunity for the players from within to really go and step forward because, come the end of the season, he won’t be here.”