Stevie goes back to school for 100 caps
To celebrate becoming only the sixth person to play 100 games for England, Steven Gerrard went back to the place where it all began for him, to take part in a Bobby Moore-style photoshoot.
A landmark appearance awaits the skipper against Sweden on Wednesday night, and on the eve of the milestone, he found himself surrounded by 99 excited pupils from his old school, Huyton-with-Roby Church of England Primary.
Organised by Sportsmail, the youngsters sported Gerrard's treasured England caps and arranged themselves in a similar style to the boys who posed for an iconic picture with Bobby Moore in 1973, when the West Ham man celebrated reaching the special landmark.
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Photo courtesy of Daily Mail/Andy Hooper
Moore, Wolves centre-half Billy Wright, Bobby Charlton, Peter Shilton and David Beckham are the five other members of the exclusive 100 club which Gerrard will now join.
"It was brilliant to go back to my old school," he told the Mail. "When I was walking around and getting ready for the picture, it put my whole career into perspective.
"I haven't been back for about seven or eight years, so part of the reason for wanting to have the picture taken there was to share it with the teachers and the children.
"That was the first place where I kicked a ball. None of my family would have thought then that I'd go on to play for England."
Huyton-with-Roby was known as St Michael's Church of England Primary School when Gerrard was a pupil there. By the time the local lad departed for Cardinal Heenan in 1991, he already had three years' experience playing at the Reds' Academy.
Some 21 years later Gerrard is a European Cup-lifting captain, has 600 Liverpool appearances to his name and is on the brink of another massive milestone for his country.
"I'm not keen on having my picture taken, but this was special," said Gerrard. "I had memories of being on the playground, playing football in the little halls or being stood outside the headmaster's office if I'd been naughty.
"I remember making the walk to school from the Bluebell Estate where I grew up and it would be nice to think that maybe some of the kids who do the same walk now could achieve something themselves in the future."
"If you believe in yourself, you can do it. I had not seen the original picture of Bobby Moore until I was asked to do this. I went online and as soon as I saw it, I was both flattered and delighted to have the opportunity. Bobby Moore is an England legend and an iconic figure, so to be asked to emulate that was overwhelming.
"As I said, I'm not the biggest fan of having my picture taken, but this was different. In years to come, it will be fantastic to look back on with my own family and children."