As a Toffees supporter released, aged 15 and heart-broken, by Everton’s academy, Darren Potter settled for academy-life at Anfield, on the opposite side of Stanley Park. He had featured 17 times in Liverpool’s first team – mainly in League Cup or European matches – by the time George Burley borrowed him, in January 2006, for half-a-season in which recently-relegated Southampton were hopelessly bidding for an instant return to the Premier League. Welcomed, in the match-day programme, as

“a pencil-slim midfielder,”

Darren made a good start by setting up Kenwyne Jones to score the winner at Leicester in the FA Cup. But his contribution to the Saints’ League season consisted of a couple of spasms, as their aspirations faded into mediocrity. He had hinted to his programme-interviewer that there might be a permanent move, but he duly returned to Liverpool. Then, after succeeding in making two loan-moves permanent – with Wolves and Sheffield Wednesday, in turn – Darren found a niche in the MK Dons’ midfield for six seasons.