A hero goalkeeper who missed the birth of his twin daughters to play in his side's FA Cup triumph has spoken of how he feared she would 'give him some stick' for not being present at their arrival.
Newport County player Joe Day was seen on live television running off the pitch after his side beat Middlesbrough 2-0, setting up a glamour tie with Manchester City and sending team-mates and fans into a frenzy.
The 28-year-old knew the birth was imminent but had his phone turned off during the win on Tuesday night, meaning he could not be there for the arrival of Sophia and Emelia.
Joe Day and his wife Lizzie with their twins Sophia and Emelia after he missed their birth while starring in an FA Cup win for his club Newport County on Tuesday night
The twins were born during the first half of the match and the goalkeeper was unaware
Sophia and Emelia were born after 8pm and their father dashed off the pitch at full-time
Day is pictured leaving the field on the final whistle after being told the happy news
And as soon as the final whistle went Day asked boss Michael Flynn if he could dash off to see his family - but he missed the births of the babies who arrived at 8.13pm and 8.35pm - during the first half of the tie at a hospital just two miles away.
On Wednesday, the exhausted new father said of his wife: 'I thought I might get some stick but she’s been great. I’m just so proud of her and my two little girls.
'I knew their birth was on the cards but I just had to shut everything out for the game.'
He added: 'We always knew there was a chance the birth would fall during the match, but Lizzie backed me and made it an easy decision for me to play the game.
Newport County goalkeeper Joe Day cut short FA Cup celebrations to see his pregnant wife
Day, right with his wife Lizzie who gave birth to the couple's twin babies during the FA Cup win
The twin baby girls named Sophia Grace and Emilia Lillie were born during the FA Cup tie
'Nothing was really happening at midday on Tuesday, but as I was driving to the game Lizzie called me to say that her waters had gone.
'I got to the ground when she was being taken to the labour ward but she told me to concentrate on the game.
'I didn't know the girls had been born when I ran off the pitch at the end. Until I got into my car and called Lizzie I didn't know what was going on as we'd had no contact since before the game, but Lizzie told me that there was two little girls and they were perfect and waiting for me to arrive at the hospital – and we've been here ever since.'
Lizzie, who was kept up to date with news of the football game during
