Chris Kirkland: The pain of relegation, the inside story of his Liverpool move and how Bellamy was put in his place

Less than five years earlier, he had not even been a goalkeeper. The speed of Kirkland’s rise remains remarkable.

He had been an unremarkable outfield player for local side Barwell when an injury to their goalkeeper resulted in the youngster being asked to fill in between the posts. By 16, he was in Coventry City’s youth system; at 18, he made his senior debut; shortly after turning 19, he was playing Premier League football. Before his 21st birthday, the boy who had grown up supporting Liverpool had become the most expensive goalkeeper in British football.