Danny Guthrie was on his way to complete a move to Newcastle United in 2008 when he suddenly had second thoughts and decided he didn't want to leave Liverpool – until a phone call from Steven Gerrard
Danny Guthrie
Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Guthrie recalled how he had a change of heart while on route to Newcastle United for his medical – until a sudden intervention by Reds icon Steven Gerrard.
Guthrie opened up on how his his 'stomach dropped' at the thought of leaving his boyhood Liverpool in 2008. The now 37-year-old confessed to having second thoughts during the journey up the A1 due to feeling a strong attachment to his boyhood club, which he joined at 16 years of age.
"I just felt my stomach drop," he told Inside Football. "I was like, 'no, I can't'. I was at my dream club. I was at the best place in the world as far as I was concerned in terms of the team and I was so proud to be a Liverpool player. It just hit me."
Guthrie rang his agent to express his doubts. After being told by his representative to carry on with the plan and that he'd call the player back, he then received an unexpected call from Gerrard.
"The phone started ringing and it wasn't his number (his agent's). It was Stevie G, and he said, 'what's going on?' I went, 'I'm driving up to Newcastle. They have accepted a bid'. He said, 'that's amazing'. I was like, 'I don't know'.
"He said, 'you're mad. That is a proper football club up there. Go up there, establish yourself as your own man, your own player. Go and be the man in someone else's team. Build that confidence. Establish yourself in the Premier League. You never know what the future holds, but don't be somebody who fizzles out at a big club.'
Danny Guthrie of Newcastle celebrates after scoring the first goal during the Coca-Cola Championship match between Newcastle United and Leicester City at St James' Park Stadium on August 31, 2009 in Newcastle, England
"That was it. As soon as he put the phone down, I went, 'yeah, you're right' and I signed [for Newcastle]."
Guthrie made just seven appearances for the Reds before he moved to St. James' Park in 2008. He spent four seasons with the Magpies, making 104 appearances as helped them secure promotion back to the Premier League in the 2009/2010 season.
Following his time in the North East, Guthrie had stints at Reading, Fulham, Blackburn Rovers, Indonesian side Mitra Kukar, Walsall and Icelandic club Fram.