Wayne Rooney was left in tears after watching his brother John help non-league Macclesfield pull off what has been described as the greatest FA Cup upset of all time, knocking out holders Crystal Palace.
The former England captain was in the stands to witness a dramatic afternoon in which Macclesfield, then playing outside the Football League, refused to be overawed by Premier League opposition and the reigning cup winners.
Palace, widely expected to cruise through, were stunned as Macclesfield grew into the tie and found a way through a defence packed with top-flight players. With John Rooney at the heart of it, the non-league side kept their discipline, chased every ball and took their chance when it arrived.
The final whistle sparked wild celebrations around the ground, and the cameras quickly picked out Wayne Rooney, overcome with emotion as he watched his brother lead the underdogs to a famous victory.
It later emerged that the moment meant even more to Rooney because of the family journey behind it, with John’s rise and perseverance in the game making the result especially personal for the Manchester United and Everton legend.
The win sends Macclesfield into the next round and will be remembered as one of the FA Cup’s most extraordinary stories — a non-league club toppling the holders, with John Rooney delivering the performance of his life and Wayne Rooney watching on, moved to tears.
