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Phil Bardsley marked his six-year anniversary as a Sunderland player by helping fire Sunderland into the League Cup final - and then thanked Roy Keane for bringing him to the north east.
It completed an incredible turnaround for Bardsley, who had started the season cast aside into the Sunderland wilderness and an injury away from the exit.
Speaking to TalkSPORT after the game, the Salford-born full back said:
I thought we deserved to win. I think owe a lot to Roy Keane for giving me the chance to play for a club like Sunderland coming from Manchester United and I thank him massively.
And to come here today and score a goal to take the game to penalties was a phenomenal feeling. I'm not sure I'll be allowed back into Salford now but I'm delighted.
The emotions were up and down and it was a great spectacle for the neutral I imagine. [I'm] just delighted to get through.
It could have been even better for Bardsley. He was due to take the first penalty of sudden death had it been required, after manager Gus Poyet awarded the spot in the top five to Ki Sung-Yueng instead. Thankfully, he wasn't needed to step up and that was fine by him.
I was next up and my leg was going like Elvis in his prime. I'm just delighted it didn't go to sudden death.
Whether you love Bardsley, loath him or are just indifferent toward him, you can't begrudge him his moment.
