IF Murray Wallace continues his FA Cup heroics they might be asking for a signed photo to frame in the Peking Village near Glasgow.
That’s the Chinese restaurant in the village of Eaglesham he worked in as a teenager to earn some pocket money.
That nugget from his past emerged after his injury-time winner in the FA Cup fourth round against Everton, before the Scottish defender followed it up with the only goal to knock out AFC Wimbledon and secure a last-eight spot.
Typical of the modest Wallace, he claims they wouldn’t remember him in the restaurant, and joked he was working cleaning dishes rather than serving customers because “they kept the good-looking people for that.
“They probably won’t even know who I am,” he added, “I barely spoke to the owners or anything. I used to work in there with my mate and he sorted me out.
“I don’t know who has found this out. When I was about 14 as a bit of pocket money I worked cleaning some dishes, I think £20 and a free meal or whatever at the end of the night. I couldn’t complain.”
Wallace gives the impression he always just gets on with it rather than complaining. He wasn’t a regular in the Millwall side early in the season, and Saturday’s start was just his 22nd out of 37 games this campaign.
His form recently in a defence that has kept five clean sheets in 11 games has been so impressive he is keeping out James Meredith, who played every league game last season.
And he keeps coming up with the goods as Millwall enjoy another epic FA Cup run.
“I’m delighted I managed to help the team to another win,” Wallace said. “I think after getting such a good result in the last round the pressure was on us to come here and win, so I thought we stood up to that well and stayed composed and stuck to our game plan.
“Obviously last round we were playing at home and in front of that sort of crowd, anyone [playing] at The Den adrenaline is going to be through the roof. The incentive coming here was the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.”
The draw for the last eight will be conducted after the last fifth-round tie between Chelsea and Manchester United on Monday night.
Wallace added: “I don’t want to say who I would like. I said West Ham in the last round and they got knocked out, so we will just wait and see.
“I think it’s brilliant for the fans. My first experience of the atmosphere in the FA Cup at The Den was against Everton. It was unbelievable, so I would like more nights like that.”
After Millwall find out their next cup opponents, focus fully turns to the league clash at Derby County on Wednesday night. The Lions are just three points above the relegation zone.
“In the league we have not necessarily been playing terribly, I think we have conceded a few late goals,” Wallace said. “I think on the road in the league we haven’t been great.
“We have conceded some soft goals, and not that our performances have been poor, but we are not getting the points we need.”
Image: Millwall FC