I had no chance at Liverpool because I was played out of position and stuck at left-back
Wrexham star Paul Mullin is a player whose name is recognised worldwide following his starring role in the Welcome to Wrexham TV series.
However, the striker's career got off to a difficult start when he spent time in Liverpool's academy as a youngster. His ambitions of playing for his favourite team were dashed after being let go by a now well-known figure in Steve Cooper.
The former Nottingham Forest and Leicester manager was then in charge of the youth system at Anfield. Cooper was warned by Mullin's mum that he'd "regret" releasing her son.
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The Wrexham talisman opened up on his experience at Liverpool in his autobiography, My Wrexham Story. Mullin was critical of his time at the academy and revealed how he was hampered by being played out of position as a left-back, rather than up front.
He said: "As time went on at the academy it was as if they couldn't see what was under their noses. One report said I needed to practice more with my right foot. I was right-footed, it's just that I was so comfortable with my left they hadn’t realised.
"Stuck at left-back, I'd had little chance to show myself as a creative footballer who could deliver so much on the attacking front. The coach who told me Liverpool were letting me go was Steve Cooper, who would later go on to take Nottingham Forest into the Premier League.
"He'd played me at left-back again and again. Mum wasn't impressed with his news. On the way out she turned to Cooper. 'You'll regret it,' she told him. 'You'll end up buying him back.' 'I hope I do,' he said. 'You will,' she replied. Then she looked at me. 'Come on, mate.' And off we went."
Mullin then became part of Huddersfield Town's academy following his release from Liverpool, eventually making his first senior appearances with Morecambe.
The striker stayed there for three seasons, before moving to Swindon Town and later Tranmere Rovers. The club where Mullin really made his name though was Cambridge United, where he secured League Two's Golden Boot during the 2020/21 season.
His goalscoring efforts earned him a deal with Wrexham shortly after the club was taken over by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. Mullin has helped the Red Dragons to back-to-back promotions from the National League and League Two in their last couple of seasons, netting a whopping 110 goals in 171 appearances in all competitions.