Anthony Gerrard - Midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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One of only two products from the top of the Youth Academy in 2003-04 to be retained and given a professional contract after the Everton management dispensed with the services of a dozen once-promising youngsters deemed surplus to requirements for the long slog ahead... Anthony Gerrard is a cousin to Liverpool's captain and English International Steven Gerrard. After being given a senior squad number for the 2004-05 season, he seemed close to making a breakthrough into the senior squad and, as part of this process, went off for a month's loan at Accrington Stanley of the Football Conference in September 2004. But the time for blooding him in the Premiership never seemed right so, in March 2005, David Moyes allowed him to go off to Walsall of Football League One for the rest of the 2004-05 season. But as Everton reserves captain, Gerrard was far from certain of his own future after he left Goodison Park for the loan stint at the Bescot Stadium with no concrete word from David Moyes about a new contract next season. "I spoke to David Moyes where my future lay at Everton and it was still unsure, so this is a great move for me," said the 19-year-old. "The reserve team manager at Everton sorted out the move for me and then I spoke to Mick Halsall and I was delighted to make it happen. My future at Everton seems unsure but hopefully I can do well while I'm here." And Anthony did well enough for the Saddlers to snap him up when David Moyes decided in May 2005 that there was no future for the lad at Everton. |
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