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'We started screaming when we realised he was coming on & didn't sit down!' Parents of Newcastle midfielder Elliot Anderson among scores of mums and dads who missed their son's senior debut in FA Cup but kicked every ball watching at home on TV

It is a moment no parent would ever miss - their son's debut as a professional footballer. Except, because of Covid-19, that was the sad reality for scores of mums and dads during the FA Cup weekend.

The third round fixtures were bookended by two teenagers scoring on their debut, Louie Barry of Aston Villa and Alfie Devine of Spurs.

Another, Newcastle midfielder Elliot Anderson, made his senior bow in front of the biggest audience of all, live on BBC One's Match of the Day on Saturday evening.

Newcastle's Elliot Anderson (centre, No 57) made his senior debut against Arsenal on Saturday

The 18-year-old's parents, Iain and Helen, were 300 miles from Arsenal's Emirates Stadium in Whitley Bay when they realised their boy was about to come on as an 81st-minute substitute.