The heroes of the Emirates FA Cup third round have been immortalised in a limited edition Roy of the Rovers comic book released today.
The commemorative cartoon depicts action from an exhilarating Cup weekend which saw Barnet, Gillingham, Oldham Athletic and Newport County all overcome the odds to record famous upsets.
Following Oldham and Newport’s stunning victories against Premier League opposition, the managers of both sides described their achievements as “Roy of the Rovers stuff” and the new comic, published in partnership with official Roy of the Rovers publishers Rebellion, features a Cup-themed storyline and artwork by Roy of the Rovers artist Ben Willsher.
It includes Latics keeper Daniel Iversen’s penalty stop against Fulham at Craven Cottage, Padraig Amond’s 85th-minute winner for the Exiles against Leicester City, Elliott List’s winner for Gillingham against Cardiff City and Barnet’s victory at Sheffield United.
A limited number of the free comic books were released today by each of the teams, with fans queueing up to own a piece of history. They were joined by players and managers who signed copies and looked ahead to the fourth round ties taking place this weekend.
You can download your own copy of the comic at the bottom of this page.
Oldham caretaker boss Pete Wild said: “I described our win as ‘Roy of the Rovers stuff’ and I wasn’t lying.
“When I heard that The FA were actually creating a Roy of the Rovers comic book I was over the moon. To put this club and the players who worked so hard to secure the win in the spotlight is really special. I’m sure the fans are going to love it.”
Amond added: “Growing up I used to read Roy of the Rovers comics, so seeing myself in comic book form is crazy.
“The Emirates FA Cup has given us a chance to prove ourselves and I’m delighted that our fans can now keep a bit of that history with this comic. It’s brilliant, I’ll certainly be keeping my copy in a special place.”
Andy Ambler, The FA’s director of professional game relations, said: “Anything is possible in the Emirates FA Cup as results in the third round showed.
“The competition is for all and a chance for players and teams across the football pyramid to write their names into folklore.
“We are delighted to create this commemorative comic book featuring the stars of Barnet, Gillingham, Newport County and Oldham Athletic and hope the fans across the country enjoy looking back on these memorable moments in cartoon form.”
Roy of the Rovers returned to print in 2018 with a brand new story and a new contemporary look and feel after a 17-year hiatus.
The latest edition features hero Roy Race as a 16-year-old footballing prodigy taking his first steps in the professional game, and retaining the same talent and passion that made him a favourite for football fans since the 1950s.
The Emirates FA Cup fourth round kicks off on Friday 25 January.
Following the doubling of The FA’s prize fund this season, winning clubs will receive £180,000 in prize money and a place in the fifth round.
