Everton fan and Boreham Wood defender Kane Smith is pinching himself at the prospect of playing his idols at Goodison Park.
National League side Wood secured a dream FA Cup trip to Merseyside to take on the Premier League giants after their memorable win at Bournemouth on Sunday.
The fifth-round draw had taken place earlier in the day, dangling the carrot of a visit to his boyhood club for the right-back.
And a goal from veteran captain Mark Ricketts sealed a 1-0 victory for the minnows at the Vitality Stadium.
“It hasn’t really sunk in yet. It’s been amazing for the club and for me personally it’s a dream come true,” Smith told Sky Sports News.
“I think it’s every supporter’s dream to walk out at the club you’ve supported all your life.
“Just to be able to get to the fifth-round draw and pull out Everton was an amazing experience for me and my family.
“To actually go to Goodison Park and walk out to ‘Z Cars’, which I love, it’s going to be special.
“As soon as it (the draw) came out I told the boys: ‘We can’t lose this one. We’ve got to win’.”
Smith even celebrated on the pitch with the fans while wearing an Everton shirt with the name of his unlikely hero, former Toffees defender Tony Hibbert, on the back.
“Every Everton fan loves him. He’s been excellent for Everton, an Everton hero,” added Smith.
Congratulations, @kanesmithler! 👏— Everton (@Everton) February 6, 2022
“Gary Neville once said: ‘Nobody wants to be a right-back’, but I always wanted to be Tony Hibbert.”
Wood’s run to the fifth round has been all the more remarkable given they are yet to concede a goal in the competition.
“It’s not just to do with me, it’s the whole team,” modest goalkeeper Taye Ashby-Hammond told Sky Sports News.
“The defence has been unbelievable from back to front so I put it down to them.
“Everyone is absolutely buzzing. The team has done so well this season. The chance to go and play Everton and showcase how well we have played and put ourselves on a stage that big is a really great reward for everyone.”
