What’s more dangerous than facing up to one of the Premier League’s all-time greats leading the line? That’s right – having his two talented sons working in tandem to tear apart your defence.
EFL Trophy ties are not exactly greeted with the biggest fanfare, often playing second fiddle to big League cup matches or European ties.
And Manchester City Under 21s’ clash with Grimsby seemed no different, with the youth branch of the all-conquering Etihad side heading into the match as favourites having copied their first-team and topping Premier League 2 after an impressive start to the season.
The home side, meanwhile, have had a mixed campaign in League Two, winning 21 points from 14 matches, and were hoping to edge closer to their first piece of silverware since lifting the same trophy in 1998.
City are not short of talent in their youth system but having the offspring of a deadly former centre-forward seems simply unfair on their opposition.
Emile Heskey’s son Reigan scored a wonder-goal in an EFL Trophy match against Grimsby
Brother Jaden meanwhile started the match and also scored the decisive penalty kick
Ever the comeback king, Heskey overcame setback after setback to keep his place in the national team
Ex-England striker Emile Heskey is a Premier League legend, having scored 110 goals in 516 matches for teams such as Leicester City, Liverpool and Aston Villa.
Ever the comeback king, Heskey overcame setback after setback to keep his place in the national team and eventually finished his career with 62 caps.
Having lost his spot after a disappointing Euro 2004 campaign, the forward impressed for his club sides to claw his way back into the England setup, making a shock return for Fabio Capello’s team in the 2010 World Cup.
Defenders still haunted by Heskey’s physical presence and sharp eye for goal will have received quite a fright when tuning in to Manchester City Under-21s EFL Trophy victory over Grimsby last night, as both his children formed a strike partnership to overcome the League Two outfit.
Forward Jaden Heskey, 18, dropped into midfield for a cup tie at Blundell Park that the youth squad were tipped to win after six straight victories in Premier League 2 which have taken them to the top of the table.
But the match seemed to heading for a goalless draw, despite the youngster threatening to unlock the stubborn Grimsby defence with a series of crosses and through-balls, only for the chances to be wasted.
Enter brother Reigan. The 16-year-old had been called up for the U21 side after dominating for the Cityzens in the U18 Premier League, having scored six goals and assisted four in seven matches.
And he continued his electric form on Wednesday night with a world-class goal to give City the lead.
Picking the ball up inside the Grimsby half, the centre-forward drove towards the opposition box with the back line retreating in terror.
Reigan then took a couple of quick touches to find half a yard of space, before curling a beautiful finish at pace into the far-right corner, leaving the flailing goalkeeper with no chance.
At that point, City thought they had their winner but Grimsby found a stoppage-time equaliser through Danny Rose – no, not the former Tottenham and England left-back – to take the match to penalties.
Luckily the brothers Heskey were on hand to see the away side over the line, each firing home pressure spot-kicks with Jaden bagging the crucial winner.
In doing so, they achieved something their father never quite could. The former England international took one career penalty in a 4-3 League Cup win over Blackburn in 2003 but it was saved by Brad Friedel.
The duo seem set to follow in their father’s footsteps and become future stars and it is little wonder with Emile encouraging them down the footballing route from an early age.
During his spell at Newcastle Jets in Australia in 2012, the brothers, aged four and six at the time, could be seen stealing the show on the pitch after matches
Reigan (centre) and Jaden (right) pictured in Newcastle, Australia, in 2012 with mother Chantelle Tagoe
Jaden pictured taking a shot against Leeds in the FA Youth Cup Final in May
Their father is now the head of football development for Leicester City Women
During his spell at Newcastle Jets in Australia in 2012, the brothers, aged four and six at the time, could be seen stealing the show on the pitch after matches, kitted out in special ‘Heskey’ shirts.
Their father is now the head of football development for Leicester City Women, having previously had a spell as interim coach of the team.
Earlier this year Heskey was ordered to pay a bill for legal fees of almost £200,000 after a lengthy dispute with HMRC regarding an unpaid tax bill which dated back to 2019.