Frank Sinclair’s career is synonymous with headline-worthy moments at Wembley, so it would make sense for it to run in the family genes.
The Chelsea legend is keeping tabs on two promotion races that could culminate in the national stadium – while he bids to mastermind a cup win of his own.
The 53-year-old started his career at Stamford Bridge in 1990 and went on to appear more than 200 times for the Blues.
Three of the top four moments that defined his Chelsea tenure came at the old Wembley, and yet the new one could end up being just as memorable.
In the 1994 FA Cup final, he endured one of his lowest points after conceding a penalty during a 4-0 defeat to Manchester United.
However, Sinclair bounced back to help Chelsea lift the club’s first major trophy in 26 years during their 2-0 FA Cup final victory over Middlesbrough in 1997 and then scored in his final ever game for the Blues to deliver the League Cup 12 months later.
Now at Burnley as an academy coach, the ex-defender will be hoping the Clarets have no need to play at Wembley at the end of their race for automatic promotion to the Premier League.
However, should Scott Parker’s side be denied a top-two finish by Leeds and Sheffield United, Sinclair could be involved in a sequence to dominate the back-pages once again.
Burnley would have to navigate the Championship playoffs to reach Wembley, with the final taking place a week before two National League teams battle to reach the EFL – which could include his son Tyrese’s York City.
In between those two potentially mammoth fixtures, he will also be involved in the Dude Perfect International Youth Cup staged by Burnley, which will see him reunite with a Chelsea academy side he was once a part of.
During an exclusive interview with talkSPORT.com, Sinclair was asked if he’s feeling the stress of juggling coaching alongside following two promotion races.
He responded: “No, it’s what I’ve been used to all my career. I’ve operated at the top level of the game where you’re obviously trying to win.
“Regarding my son, for example, I don’t get involved that much with it – We talk football like we always have done since he was a kid.
“Obviously, I support from afar, and I do go to games when I can, but York are having a great season and if they can get back in the football league, that’d be brilliant because it’s a great setup there, good stadium.
“[Adam] Hinshelwood has got a brilliant squad together, hopefully they’ll get over the line, but again, it’s going to be really tight and it looks like they’ll probably have to do it through the playoffs now, the way that Barnet’s been in the last few weeks and stuff, but no, it’s just a pleasure to watch if my boy ends up playing at Wembley.
“Something that I’d done through my career, it’d be a really proud moment for me.”
Sinclair unsurprisingly noted how ‘incredible’ it would be if Tyrese, who has seven goals in 40 National League appearances this season, also found the net at Wembley.
Just don’t expect the 24-year-old attacking midfielder to pull out his father’s famous celebration if he does.
Sinclair, who once held the Premier League record for own goals, at least made sure on the rare occasion he did find the right net that he’d be making headlines.
Whether that be a Wembley match winner or dropping his shorts against Coventry to mark the impending birth of his daughter.
He told talkSPORT: “It was the first game of the [1997/98] season, and my daughter was due to be born, my first born.
“I was thinking of a way of getting on the papers front or back for whatever reason that might be within obviously the laws.
“It was incredible because I scored the first goal of the game, and I remember, my celebration was unplanned, but I’ve done this silly walk across the pitch and my shorts dropped down around my ankles and all the players didn’t know what was going on either.
“It was a perfect scenario because my daughter was born on the Sunday and I was back front and back page of that picture of me in the yellow kit with my shorts around my ankles and her date of birth, which we had framed as something that she’s had all her life basically, so that was incredible.
“[It] couldn’t have worked out any better, really…[but] I got hauled up in front of the FA for that one and got fined.
“I had to explain my reasons for doing it – So I just thought to myself, the one, the one opportunity to do it would be enough.”
Click here to access free tickets to the Dude Perfect International Youth Cup taking place in Burnley from May 30.
