The son of a Nigerian engineer who settled in Liverpool, Jon Otsemobor attracted attention from both the Red and Blue halves of the city. Having committed himself to the Reds in July 2002, he made his bow, soon after, in a League Cup-tie v Southampton.

In October 2003 however he was involved in a night-club incident which ended when he was shot in the buttocks and hospitalised.

Liverpool stuck by him and he made his second appearance for them two months later. As he worked his way up England’s ranks – he would be capped at five levels up to and including U-21 – he looked to have a future at Anfield. But Gerard Houllier and Rafael Benitez in turn decided that Jon was best nurtured out on loan – until Benitez transferred him, on a free, to third-tier Rotherham.

He soon left there, to experience relegation from the Championship, with Crewe and Norwich, in turn. His 2009-10 season in League One was one of two halves: the first playing more often than not for Norwich; the second, after another free-transfer, as the Saints’ regular right-back.

The downside was that he was cup-tied, as Southampton went to Wembley to win the JPT. He had already played for Norwich in the competition, scoring their fifth spot-kick when they went out, 6-5 on penalties, at St Mary’s. When Alan Pardew elected not to renew his contract, Jon remained in League One with Sheffield Wednesday and then, having played little part in their 2012 promotion, was freed to join MK Dons in the Championship. He was released by them in January 2014 and then after an unsuccessful trial with Doncaster he retired owing to a persistent knee injury. He has since become a property developer.