Kop star KEV’S DEBT TO DAD
Young Stewart first learned the game kicking a ball around in the park with his father, also Kevin.
He later played for dad’s Sunday league side East Herts in Enfield and was snapped up by Tottenham’s academy as a teenager.
And when his blossoming career came to a standstill at Spurs, he managed to switch to the Stewart clan’s beloved Liverpool in the summer of 2014.
Progress has been steady but now Stewart, 23, is making a name for himself under the guidance of boss Jurgen Klopp, who has blocked any immediate loan deal and sanctioned a new contract until 2020.
He will boost his growing credentials playing in front of the Kop against Plymouth in the FA Cup today – and hopefully give the German tactician more food for thought about his longer-term future at Anfield.
Asked what wearing the famous STEVE MILLAR Red means to his dad, Stewart said: “He proper loves it. He tries to get up for every game. He coaches a lot of kids as well so he’s always showing them things about what I’m doing.
“It’s a really big thing for him. He was a huge part of my development.
“He coached the Sunday team which I played for. I didn’t join a team until I was about nine or 10.
“Up until then it was just him and me playing football in the park.
“But my dad had always supported Liverpool so it was just passed from him to me.”
Now, Stewart is fully living the dream and cannot thank Klopp enough for showing so much faith to reward him with seven first-team appearances this season.
Stewart can concentrate on his Anfield career without the worry of being shipped out on loan and admits the backing from the boss has given him a huge boost.
He added: “He’s told me he wants me to be here, to stay here, to keep improving and learning from him.
“But I’m not someone who is just going to settle with playing every now and again.
“I have got to accept that’s where I am at the minute but no disrespect to other teams, I’m at Liverpool and it’s a massive club. I’m competing for spots with international players.
“I don’t need to pressure myself that I’m not playing regularly because it’s not an easy thing.
“When I get the chance I just seize the opportunity to play.
“I can’t be scared to play football. That’s what I have been doing since I was a little kid and I dreamed of doing it for Liverpool as well.
“I definitely think this is the right place for me.
“If it is going to happen for me then it will probably be in the team that the manager has here.
“He has already done so much for me, given me the opportunity and helped my career to a level I didn’t know it could be at this time.
“He doesn’t always say, ‘Be patient’, but the fact he has given me a new four-year contract says it all.”