Liverpool fullback Jon Flanagan has revealed how his Dad is used as example by academy coaches as what NOT to do as a young player.

Jon senior used to clean Kenny Dalglish's boots when an apprentice at Liverpool during the '80's.

His son recalled: "I remember Phil Thompson coming into the academy and doing a speech on my dad, saying his attitude was all wrong and all that.

"Dad used to clean Kenny's boots but they let him go after his scholarship. He didn't get his pro deal. They brought Wayne Harrison in and then they let my dad go.

"He would have been about 17 or 18. Why didn't he make it? It was just his attitude.

"Phil Thompson was telling us where not to go wrong. And my dad was already helping me out because he knew where he went wrong. That was a great bonus for me.

"He knew where he went wrong and didn't want me to make the same mistakes. You also have to get the attitude right yourself.

"I don't think my dad would mind Phil saying what he did. My dad has told me many stories before so I knew all about that. He lost his dad at a young age and I think he just went off the rails a bit.

"I can't really say what he used to do outside football but with his football his attitude wasn't the best and he just messed it up really.

"When I got my chance it was make or break. I was thinking, 'It's either my chance to push on or things go horribly wrong'.

"And I would have had to move somewhere else.

"It was about me personally getting in the right frame of mind and not letting this chance go."