Former Portsmouth man takes centre stage in one of biggest upsets in English football history against Arsenal
Arsenal and Mikel Arteta were stunned in an English football upset for the ages in the Carabao Cup, with the man who spent two-and-a-half years at Fratton Park taking centre stage.
Former Pompey midfielder Andy Cannon last night played a key role in delivering the ‘biggest shock in the history of the Carabao Cup’.
The man who spent two-and-a-half years at Fratton Park stepped up to help his lowly Fleetwood Town side shock Premier League champions Arsenal in the FA Cup.
Former Fratton man delivers in one of great English football upsets
Cannon fired home one of the five perfect spot-kicks from the Cod Army to send reverberations around football, as they triumphed 5-4 on penalties after it finished 1-1 in normal time at Highbury.
That gave the colossal 22/1 underdogs an incredible victory for the ages, with 84 places separating the 18th-placed League Two outfit with Mikel Arteta’s big guns in the English football period.
It looked like Viktor Gyokeres’ 50th-minute levelled had dashed hopes of a mind-blowing success for Matt Lawlor’s men following Aaron Loupalo-Bi’s opener, but Fleetwood dug in with Cannon making his first appearance since the end of August when he was introduced in the 74th minute.
The man who arrived at Pompey from Rochdale in 2019 was straight into the heart of the action and produced a header at goal in the 83rd minute.
Cannon was then central to the skirmish which saw Max Dowman sent off with five minutes left, picking up a booking for his involvement in the scuffle after the teenager aimed a kick at Fleetwood’s Harrison Neal following a robust tackle.
But the man signed by Kenny Jackett had one more massive role to play, dispatching Fleetwood’s fourth penalty before Bruno Guimaraes’s effort was saved by Jay Lynch.
Conor Haughey’s penalty then got the Captain Pugwash theme playing and sparked a pitch invasion amid delirious scenes, with former Pompey midfielder Paul Merson calling the win ‘the biggest shock in the history of the Carabao Cup’ in the Sky Sports studio.
Stunned boss Lawlor said: 'I just can't believe it. it’s the biggest night in the club's history in terms of opposition coming to town and we've managed to beat the champions.
‘It won’t sink in, to be honest with you. It’s so crazy to think about. I’ve got no words for it.
‘The champions of England have come to Fleetwood, and we’ve managed to qualify for the Carabao Cup quarter-final. It’s very difficult to comprehend.’
Cannon has been limited to just five appearances for Fleetwood this season because of injury, after arriving as a free agent in the summer after leaving Wrexham.
The man who scored three goals in 79 Pompey appearances had his fitness issues at Fratton Park with back and glute problems among the problems impacting him.
He played 49 games in his final season at PO4, however, earning a move to Championship wide Hull City and further deals with upwardly mobile outfits in Stockport County and Wrexham.
Cannon’s time in North Wales was hit by an anterior cruciate ligament injury, though, ruling him out for most of last year.
The 30-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan with Burton Albion in League, before agreeing a three-year deal and moving to the Fylde Coast in the summer.