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Premier League: A decade of Steven Gerrard: from skinny lad to the hero of Liverpool

It was the only time Steven Gerrard was ignored by the Kop. It was November 29 1998, a Blackburn Rovers side starting to flail desperately and vainly against relegation were already beaten and a teenager was running up and down the touchline waiting to come on."All the subs were applauded when Gérard Houllier sent us to warm up," Gerrard recalled years later. "Well, nearly all. When I ran towards the Kop I could almost hear them saying: "Who's this skinny little twat?'" The 18-year-old came on for the final few moments as a substitute for Vegard Heggem, was shot through with nerves and remembers his contribution as consisting of one wildly over-hit cross that threatened the upper reaches of the Centenary Stand.Liverpool were in the middle of a deep low. The uneasy, unworkable alliance between Houllier and Roy Evans had come to its messy, predictable end. They had just lost at home to Derby, been easily eliminated from the League Cup by Tottenham and entered the weekend ninth in the Premier League. It was the twilight of the Spice Boys. The days of David James, Jason McAteer, Jamie Redknapp and Steve McManaman were almost done.And yet there was a new dawn about to break over Anfield. Michael Owen, who had been part of Gerrard's year at the Liverpool School of Excellence under Steve Heighway, was on the point of becoming BBC's Sports Personality of the Year at the age of 18. His first steps, however, were much more assured than those of the man who was to match and then surpass Owen's achievements at Anfield.Gerrard's first start was worse than his debut. Given all the arguments that have enveloped him over what position he should play, it was perhaps significant that Houllier asked him to patrol the right of midfield at White Hart Lane, facing David Ginola, who that season would be voted Footballer of the Year. Gerrard's recollections are even more downbeat. "Paul Ince was on at me, Ginola was taking the mickey. I was out of position and out of my depth." He hoped his parents would be out when Match of the Day came on.And yet nobody at Liverpool worried. Sir Alex Ferguson has said that Ryan Giggs is the only youngster he has ever dealt with whom he knew instantly would make it as a top-flight footballer. "And that is how we felt about Michael and Steven," said Heighway. "We knew from the age of 14 they were both going to make it. We took them both on an under-18 tour of Spain when they were 13 or 14, which I never did before or since. And their parents knew that I knew they were special. Sometimes you don't tell the parents because you don't want to affect their behaviour. But there was no danger with those two." Gerrard came to be revered on Merseyside in a way that Owen never was - partly because Owen's success with England made him a national sporting figure. Gerrard's triumphs have tended to be with a liver bird rather than a lion on his chest, particularly in the Champions League, which accounts for almost 30% of his 103 Liverpool goals.Gerrard can be modest, introverted and self-critical ,which might be why the high plateau of his football came when he was given the Liverpool captaincy at the age of 23. Gerrard as a Roy of the Rovers for the Sky Sports generation emerged only once Owen and Robbie Fowler, the big beasts of the Anfield dressing room, had gone. Both Alan Hansen and Jamie Carragher believe that in the modern history of Liverpool, he now stands alongside Kenny Dalglish as the club's greatest player.But given his hunger for the one trophy he has never won, Gerrard might remember not November 29 1998 but May 1 1990, when their 18th championship was paraded around Anfield to applause Hansen recalled as strangely muted and complacent. There was a nine-year-old boy on the Kop who would have looked down on that silverware and thought it a birthright. Eighteen years on Steven Gerrard is still waiting.Steve G-ForceSteven Gerrard has specialised in getting Liverpool out of troublev Olympiakos, Champions League, Dec 2004Liverpool, leading 2-1, need to win by two and in the 87th minute Gerrard pings a low drive. Anfield erupts.v Milan, CL final, May 2005Scores first and earns penalty for third as Liverpool triumph amazingly after 3-0 half-time deficit.v West Ham, FA Cup final, May 2006A clearing 90th-minute header is returned to the net with interest to force extra-time. Gerrard lifts Cup.v Middlesbrough, Premier League, Aug 2008Sets tone for Liverpool's season of late winners with drive from edge of area in 90th minute.v Marseille, CL, Sept 2008Allows home side to revel in their lead for three minutes before sweeping home possibly the most sublime goal of his Liverpool career.v Atlético Madrid, CL, Nov 2008Earns and converts dubious stoppage-time penalty as Spaniards look set to win at Anfield.LiverpoolSteven GerrardPremier Leagueguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2008 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds