The FA Cup brought instant fame for Dimitar Mitov after his St James’ Park heroics inspired a famous David slaying Goliath Cambridge United defeat of Newcastle.
It was a career-changing day for the St Johnstone goalkeeper, with a move to Scotland and being capped for Bulgaria following on.
It was also proof that one game and one outstanding performance can alter the course of a footballer’s life.
“Everybody watches you in a game like that,” he said.
“I actually remember having that conversation with the manager at the time after the game.
“I’ve had better performances in my career in the league but no one talked about them because they weren’t against Newcastle.
“It’s different when you play well in front of 55,000 people and it’s live on TV, against a Premier League team.
“Newcastle had just been bought, there was so much hype about that and it was Kieran Trippier’s first game for the club.
“For the team to win the game and me to get man-of-the-match was a really special moment.
“That game really changed how people looked at me.”
Favourite save
A finger-tip save to deny Joelinton was voted save of the third round but Mitov chose a different one as his best.
“The moment that sticks with me is very late in the first half,” he recalled.
“I pulled off a save from (Jacob) Murphy onto the bar.
“It was probably the best save of the day. And I actually remember being clapped off at half time by the Newcastle fans!
“I’d never had this in my career. That was the best memory of the day.”
The reach of the FA Cup meant Mitov’s family could share in his moment of glory.
“The game was live in Bulgaria,” he said. “It was actually the very first time that my grandad watched me play.
“Me coming over to England as a young boy, playing in League Two or League One those games don’t get streamed in Bulgaria.
“When I played back home, I only played for an academy team. I was never near to a first team.
“I moved to England at 15, didn’t speak a word of English.
“That Newcastle game was an opportunity for all my friends, family, grandparents to watch the game.
“My grandad rang me after the game and he was crying his eyes out at how proud he was.
“It’s why we play football – to make people proud and happy. For me, it was the perfect day.”
St Johnstone cup heritage
Mitov has learned all about St Johnstone’s history-making cup success of recent years, with the 2021 Hampden triumphs the inspiration for Craig Levein’s present-day side.
“I had heard of the cup double before,” he said. “And when a team is interested in signing you, you do more research.
“I was thinking: ‘Wow, they’ve won a double not so long ago!’ It was a no-brainer in the end.
Two finals, two goals, two trophies.
A Scottish Cup winning goal from Shaun Rooney.#ScottishCup pic.twitter.com/yvo0P5DKxF
— Scottish Gas Scottish Cup (@ScottishCup) May 23, 2021
“It was an amazing achievement for the club. Winning a trophy at any level is amazing.
“That’s what you play football for. It’s a day or night you never forget.
“It’s what we dream of now.
“We were really disappointed early on in the season in the Viaplay Cup.
“This is another chance for us to have a good run hopefully, maybe get to a final. But we have to take it game by game.”
Familiar face at Airdrie
Saints face Airdrie on Saturday as the Premiership clubs enter the Scottish Cup.
Mitov has big personal motivation for avoiding an upset in Lanarkshire.
“My best mate plays for Airdrie – Nikolai Todorov,” he said.
“We’ve been best mates since we were kids.
“He came to England with Nottingham Forest one year before I went to Charlton.
“We played against each other in England.
“He went to Hearts then around the leagues in Scotland.
“He messaged me about the Scottish Cup draw being on and I didn’t have a clue it was that day.
“He said: ‘Imagine if we end up playing against each other’. I said: ‘It’s not going to happen, man, there are so many teams’.
“Then I saw it coming up on St Johnstone’s Twitter and I thought: ‘No way!’
“I just hope he doesn’t score against me or I will never hear the end of it.
“He’d remind me of it every single day.
“We won’t be friends on the pitch.
“If he comes for a cross, he’s getting it!”
Conversation