Wigan Athletic midfielder Jason Koumas has revealed how he and Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard were teammates as juniors.
The pair played for Wirral-based Heygarth United in the Eastham League in the early 1990s and helped make them one of the hottest junior sides around.
But those childhood memories will be forgotten when Wigan host Liverpool today.
JJB ace Koumas - a Reds fan who used to be on the books at Anfield - is determined to get one over on his old pal.
The Welshman, 28, said: "I played with Stevie in Sunday teams all the way through and I watched him get better and better. And he seems to be improving - he's a top player.
"Our Sunday team was quite decent.
"We won everything and I don't think we lost a game over a three or four-year period. We seemed to dominate in those times.
"Me and Gerrard were in the middle. He didn't get too many goals then, he was more of the sitter. I was the one who didn't defend. They are good memories but the important thing is Saturday and getting a good result."
