“EVERYONE USED TO GET CARRIED AWAY WITH THE GALACTICO NONSENSE. WE WON STUFF BEFORE THAT”

You grew up in a household that supported Everton, but your dad insisted you sign for Liverpool over the Toffees. Were you upset with him about that?

Not at all actually, as he just wanted the right career path for me. I was a bit of a home bird when I was 13 or 14, and despite being highly touted by several teams around the country, there was no way I was ever going to leave my mum and dad’s house. I’d have been too homesick. We went to see Goodison Park and Everton were very accommodating and keen for me to join as a schoolboy. But