Ahead of the 2022 Emirates FA Cup Final on Saturday, mkdons.com has taken a look at those associated with MK Dons who have played in a FA Cup final...
Roberto Di Matteo
MK Dons’ most decorated FA Cup winner, Di Matteo won all three finals he was a part of - two as a player and one as a manager. The Italian scored in both of the finals he played in.
Di Matteo lifted his first FA Cup trophy in 1997 courtesy of Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Middlesbrough at Wembley. He opened the scoring for the Blues after only a minute while Chelsea’s second goal that game came from Eddie Newton, who would go on to be Di Matteo’s assistant at MK Dons.
The defender enjoyed FA Cup success again in 2000, scoring the decisive goal to help Chelsea to a 1-0 win over Aston Villa at Wembley.
Di Matteo would return to an FA Cup Final in 2012 as caretaker manager of Chelsea, four years after leaving his role as first-team manager at MK Dons. The Italian led the Blues to a 2-1 win over Liverpool, securing his third FA Cup honour.
Dietmar Hamann
Dietmar Hamann played in three FA Cup finals during his career, winning two after suffering defeat in his first.
The German bounced back from a 2-0 defeat to Manchester United in 1999 while on the books at Newcastle United, to lift the trophy twice with Liverpool.
Hamann secured his first FA Cup success in 2001 as Liverpool saw off Arsenal 2-1 at the Millennium Stadium.
His second triumph arrived in 2006 as he and Liverpool beat West Ham United on penalties after a thrilling 3-3 draw in Cardiff. Hamann scored his penalty to help the Reds to a 3-1 shoot-out success.
Hamann would go on to play 12 times for MK Dons during the 2010/11 season before retiring from the game at the age of 37.
Paul Ince
Former MK Dons boss Paul Ince also played in three FA Cup finals, lifting the trophy on two of those occasions.
Ince helped Manchester United to FA Cup glory in 1990, although it took Ince & Co two legs to see off a Crystal Palace side who had Ian Wright, a former MK Dons first-team coach, in their squad.
He would lift the FA Cup again in 1994 with Manchester United, who beat Chelsea 4-0 at Wembley Stadium.
Ince, though, would miss out on a third FA Cup success a year later as he and Man Utd were beaten 1-0 by Everton courtesy of a Paul Rideout goal.
Steve Perryman
Former Associate Director Steve Perryman enjoyed a 100% FA Cup final record during his career, playing in finals and winning both.
The former defender captained Tottenham Hotspur to back-to-back FA Cup titles in 1981 and 1982, the first of those successes coming after a two-legged win over Manchester City.
Both sides played out a 1-1 draw in the first leg but it was Perryman & Co who would triumph in the replay, coming from 2-1 down to win 3-2 in front of 92,000 at Wembley Stadium.
Perryman and Spurs would retain their crown the following season and again it would take two legs to get the job done. They were held to a 1-1 draw by QPR in the initial final but triumphed in the replay thanks to Glenn Hoddle’s sixth-minute penalty.
Ian Wright
Ian Wright helped Arsenal to FA Cup success in 1993, scoring in both legs of their Final with Sheffield Wednesday.
The striker, who had missed out on FA Cup glory in 1990 with Crystal Palace, scored the opening goal of the 1993 Final but saw his effort cancelled out by David Hirst in the second half.
Arsenal, though, would win the replay after extra-time, with Wright again on the scoresheet. It was Andy Linighan, however, who would score the decisive goal in extra time.
Eddie Newton
Ex-MK Dons Assistant Manager Eddie Newton lifted the FA Cup with Chelsea in 1997, scoring the second of two Blues goals in their 2-0 victory over Middlesbrough.
Roberto Di Matteo scored the first goal in that win and it was the Italian who brought Newton to Stadium MK in 2008 to work as Assistant Manager.
Newton had played in the 1994 FA Cup final but he and Chelsea were beaten 4-0 by Manchester United.
Alan Smith
Alan Smith played in two FA Cup finals for Manchester United but found himself on the losing side on both occasions.
The former MK Dons forward was part of the United sides which lost to Arsenal in 2005 and Chelsea in 2007.
Tore Andre Flo
Former MK Dons striker Tore Andre Flo helped Chelsea to FA Cup success in 2000, coming off the bench to help see out a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa.
Roberto Di Matteo scored Chelsea’s winner that day and it was the Italian, while manager of MK Dons, who brought Flo to Stadium MK.
Gary Waddock
Former MK Dons Assistant Manager Gary Waddock played in the 1982 FA Cup Final but came out on the losing side to a Tottenham Hotspur outfit captained by former Associate Director Steve Perryman.
Waddock played centre half for Queens Park Rangers in both legs of final at Wembley.
Matt Oakley
Former Assistant Manager Matt Oakley was a member of the Southampton side who were beaten 1-0 by Arsenal in the 2003 FA Cup final.
Oakley played 90 minutes in the centre of midfield but Robert Pires’ 30th-minute goal proved the difference at the Millennium Stadium.
Willy Gueret
Willy Gueret was amongst the substitutes for Millwall when they took on Manchester United in the 2004 FA Cup Final.
The former MK Dons goalkeeper didn’t make it on the pitch, however, as the Lions were beaten 3-0 by Man Utd.
Nigel Reo-Coker
Nigel Reo-Coker led West Ham United out at the 2006 FA Cup Final and came within minutes of lifting the trophy with the Hammers leading Liverpool 3-2 heading into stoppage time.
An own goal from Jamie Carragher and goals from Dean Ashton and Paul Konchesky had the London club in the driving seat but Steven Gerrard struck from distance late on to send the tie to extra-time.
Liverpool would eventually triumph on penalties, with former MK Dons midfielder Dietmar Hamann finding the net from the spot.
Jake Livermore and Stephen Quinn
Two former MK Dons loanees were part of the 2014 FA Cup final with both Jake Livermore and Stephen Quinn starting for Hull City against Arsenal.
Hull found themselves two goals ahead after just eight minutes but the Gunners responded to take the tie to extra-time. Aaron Ramsey then scored with 109 minutes on the clock to ensure victory.
Jason Puncheon and Connor Wickham
The most recent MK Dons players to feature in an FA Cup final were Jason Puncheon and Connor Wickham, who were members of the Crystal Palace team who reached Wembley in 2016.
It was Wickham's goal against Watford that sent Palace through to the final and they thought they had won the trophy when Puncheon himself found the net against Manchester United.
The former Dons winger struck with 12 minutes to go to put Palace 1-0 ahead but Juan Mata levelled the scores three minutes later before Jesse Lingard won the match in extra-time for United.
