Luke Matheson became renowned for scoring against Manchester United in the Carabao Cup for minnows Rochdale while he was still in school. And almost seven years on, the defender has a cup upset on his mind once again with Macclesfield.

At just 16, Rochdale's then-youngest-ever player was catapulted into the spotlight when he made it 1-1 against Ole GunnarSolskjaer's United in 2019. This Carabao Cup third-round match eventually went to penalties, and Matheson's side exited the competition 5-3 on spot-kicks.

Despite the defeat, this Old Trafford gallantry at such a young age lived long in the memory. Matheson even sat a psychology exam the day after this whirlwind of a match.

But fast-forward to 2026 and he has endured a failed Premier League move to Wolves, been shipped out on a series of loans and is now playing for FA Cup giant-killers Macclesfield. Having knocked Crystal Palace out of the competition last month, the Silkmen welcome Brentford to their Moss Rose home on Monday evening.

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Speaking to the BBC, Matheson opened up about that goal against United. He said: "I was on the bus on the way to school the next morning with my mates.

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"Refreshing Instagram, there were a thousand [likes] here, another thousand there. It was one of the most surreal things I have ever been through.

"I remember the actual moment of the goal. I can picture it and tell you exactly what happened. It was more the aftermath I don't really remember.

"Even being on that pitch and travelling to that game was enough for me. Then to score took it to another level. It's definitely one of the best days of my life.

"I love people coming up to me saying, 'Are you the kid that scored against United?' They always recognise me because of my hair. If that is the pinnacle of my career, it is the pinnacle of my career. Some players will dream about moments like that and I'm lucky that I got one at such a young age.

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"I was a kid then and have a little bit more experience now. I've been around different clubs, different experiences, different managers, different changing rooms."

Matheson's heroics took place in September 2019 and by January 2020 he had attracted interest from the Premier League. Wolves snapped him up for £1million and he was sent back on loan to Rochdale for the remainder of that season.

However, he struggled immensely with injuries at Molineux and despite spending three years with them he never made a senior appearance. He was released in 2023 and signed for Bolton Wanderers.

Matheson again struggled for consistency at Bolton and after loan moves to Bohemians and Alfreton Town, signed for Macclesfield in 2025. He came off the bench in the historic 2-1 win against Palace and spoke about what another victory against top-flight opposition would mean.

"It would mean the world," Matheson added. "You can feel the buzz around the town. Everyone has got the Macclesfield badge on. You see it when we're driving to the stadium, people walking their dog with the half-and-half scarves and their hats.

"To give back to the fans of this town is the proudest thing you can do as a footballer. For us to be able to give them moments like the Palace game and then another against Brentford brings us such joy as players.

"As cliché as it sounds, it's like a family. You see the stadium packed out and as a player it's what you dream of. We can't wait to get back out there."

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