As Bobby Firmino found out against Aston Villa, no Liverpool career can last forever but it’s always better to leave feeling sad that it’s now over and with some brilliant memories behind you.
One man who’s Anfield journey ended eight years ago though is now saying farewell to football altogether and has announced his retirement from the game.
Speaking with Optus, Brad Jones spoke about his April 2012 penalty save against Blackburn Rovers: “Funnily enough I was facing a mate of mine who was at Middlesbrough with me in Yakubu and I’d obviously practiced penalties with him hundreds of times.
“I think that actually threw him when I came on because I’ve seen it back and there’s a look in his face. He certainly doubted what he was going to do.
“To be able to save it and have the Liverpool fans right behind me as well. They had been amazing for all that time so it was a bit for them and certainly for Luca at the time.”
The Australian came onto pitch 11 years ago to make his Premier League debut and with his first task at hand to be trying to save a Yakubu penalty – it was always going to set him up for a hero or zero status.
Thankfully some prior experience of facing the former Everton striker was enough to give him the edge and when this moment is viewed in the context of his son Luca passing away just five months earlier, it becomes all the more emotional.
Because of Doni and Pepe Reina being suspended, our third-choice stopper went on to also start at Wembley against our Merseyside rivals and for a man with only eight first-team appearances for the Reds – he packed a lot into his matches!
All good things come to an end though and we all wish Brad, and his family, all the best for the future – YNWA.
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