Dave Edwards dreaming of FA Cup reunion with Wolves
Dave Edwards said the chance to face his former side Wolves with boyhood club Shrewsbury Town would be ‘incredibly special’ – but he was 12 hours behind everybody else in learning the FA Cup draw.
Either Sam Ricketts’ Town or Stoke City will face Premier League Wolves at home in the fourth round after Nuno’s men defeated Liverpool on Monday night.
Hours earlier Edwards, who spent 10 years at Wolves, had seen his fairytale return to Shrewsbury confirmed.
A Wolves tie is a long way from a foregone conclusion. Shrews must get beyond Stoke, who have sacked boss Gary Rowett, next Tuesday.
But Edwards had no idea that his new club had been drawn against his former employers, after agreeing to switch off from football following a whirlwind 24 hours in which he sealed a dream Salop return.
He smiled while explaining: “What actually happened, I watched the first half with my little boy, it was his first day back at school the next day, so we said ‘you can only watch the first half, then it’s bedtime’.
“Then I came downstairs and my wife said ‘turn your phone off, put it away and let’s watch something else apart from football because it’s been a manic day’.
“I said ‘OK’. I recorded the game to watch it in the morning.
“I’m watching a programme and my phone starts flashing, my brother, dad, mother and sister all texting. I thought this has got to be something.
“All I saw was ‘can you believe it?’ It’s written in the stars’.
“I’m thinking ‘what on earth is going on?’ I got hold of my brother and he said ‘they’ve drawn Wolves in the FA Cup’.
“That, of course, would be incredibly special. Obviously it’s a very tough game to get through first.”
The delighted former Wales international could not hide his delight while speaking to the media at his first press conference yesterday.
The box-to-box midfielder is pleased to be back home, where he quipped he was under his wife’s feet, while adding he will enjoy his kids’ school run.
Edwards did not make his second Town bow in last night’s Checkatrade Trophy tie at Port Vale.
Instead, the 32-year-old is pushing to make the squad for Saturday’s League One visit of Charlton.
Edwards is yet to discover whether he will be eligible to face managerless Potters in the replay.
“I’m not sure of my own situation yet, with me being able to play after not being eligible to play the first game,” he added.
“Hopefully I can. It’s got to be cleared up. If Town can get through that game it’d be another special day to add to the list of occasions.”
