Mark Hughes has revealed how accidentally missing Bryan Robson's trophy lift in the 1985 FA Cup final prompted a new tradition for him.
The Manchester United legend won his first piece of silverware with the club when they overcame Everton 1-0 in the 1984/85 FA Cup final.
Yet, in the midst of the celebrations at Wembley, Hughes inadvertently missed captain Robson lifting the cup due to being at the back of the queue of players going up the stairs to the royal box.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Hughes revealed that it meant he made sure he was as close as he could get to trophy lifts in future seasons.
He said: "As I was going up those steps, obviously I’d seen on TV and watched teams and players go up those steps many, many times at Wembley to receive the trophy.
"As I’m just getting halfway up all of a sudden a big cheer goes up and I look across and Robbo has already got the trophy. And I’m thinking ‘oh for goodness sake I’ve missed it’.
"After all these years wondering and thinking what the emotion was going to be like when I lifted the trophy and I missed it.
"I made a vow that if I ever got back and was in cup finals again I would make sure I wouldn’t miss it. All the other cup finals I was involved in it was always the captain, the goalie and then me."
Hughes had good reason to make the resolution as he went on to win the FA Cup a further three times in his career, twice more with United and once with Chelsea.
