A LIDDLE LIFT OFF GARETH

IAN MURTAGH

GARETH SOUTHGATE probably does not know the influence he has had on Gary Liddle’s career.

The Hartlepool stalwart is closing in on 700 appearances, 15 years after he became the first-ever player to be sold by the England head coach during his time in charge of Middlesbrough.

Liddle had been part of Boro’s golden generation, winning the FA Youth Cup in 2004 alongside the likes of David Wheater, Lee Cattermole, James Morrison and Andrew Taylor.

So he could be forgiven for holding a grudge against the man who let him go before he had the chance to play for his boyhood club.

But Liddle, now 35 and in his second spell at Hartlepool, has never blamed Southgate (above) for his failure to hit the big-time. Indeed, he probably would not be looking forward to another FA Cup adventure this lunchtime when Hartlepool entertain Championship side Blackpool had he not left Boro when he did.

“At the time, I was training with the likes of George Boateng, Gaizka Mendieta and Bolo Zenden so I knew it was going to be a struggle to break into the first team,” said Liddle (below). “Gareth called me into his office before I moved on and gave me good advice – something he didn’t have to do. It would have been wonderful to make the grade at Boro but I’ve had a great career and it’s not over yet.” Liddle was in the Bradford side which pulled off arguably the biggest Cup upset of the past decade when they came from two goals down to win 4-2 at Chelsea in 2015. And he captained Notts County at Anfield when they gave Liverpool a fright in a League Cup tie in 2013. He said: “We were expecting them to field a weakened side so I got the shock of my life when I handed in the teamsheet to find Steven Gerrard as my opposite number!”