Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterFor Jonjo Shelvey, Steven Gerrard was more than just a Liverpool and England legend. He was the player he had grown up watching and dreamt of emulating.By the time Shelvey made his senior debut for Charlton in 2008, Gerrard was a Champions League winners, a two-time FA Cup victor and had won 65 caps for his country.Just two years later, Shelvey would not only be sharing a dressing room with the Reds icon, but living next door to him.Shelvey on GerrardGerrards approachability and down-to-earth nature meant the pair soon became close, with Shelvey also admitting that their proximity had one particularly close detail."I grew up watching a DVD about his career, so I knew everything about him, Shevley tells FourFourTwo. When I was a kid, Id watch this DVD the night before my games to inspire me. I wanted to be him, so to play with him was amazing. You may like Jonjo Shelvey on his Gareth Southgate rift and England snub Jonjo Shelvey rates recent Newcastle United managers from Rafa Benitez to Steve Bruce Ashley Cole discusses his long-term friendship and respect for Joe Cole The pair would play together 36 times for Liverpool before Shelvey left the club in 2013, at which time Gerrard was well-established as one of the clubs greatest modern players.Even after their shared time at Anfield, Shelvey was able to appreciate playing against his former idol.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Later in my career I enjoyed playing against him as well, as it was the ultimate test, he continues.For Shelvey, what really separated Gerrard from his peers was the midfielders completeness of his game.He was the best and had everything: defensively, shooting and passing, Shelvey adds.And while playing alongside Gerrard fulfilled a childhood dream for Shelvey, their relationship extended beyond the training ground.When I was at Liverpool, I lived next door to him as well, and from my bathroom you could actually see into his living room, so I spent a lot of time on the toilet! [Laughs]Hed give me a lift into training, he was such a normal person, easy to talk to, and anything you needed hed help you with. I cant speak highly enough about him."TOPICSLiverpoolPremier LeagueJoe MewisSocial Links NavigationFor more than a decade, Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor. Mewis has had stints at Mirror Football and LeedsLive among others and worked at FourFourTwo throughout Euro 2024, reporting on the tournament. In addition to his journalist work, Mewis is also the author of four football history books that include times on Leeds United and the England national team. Now working as a digital marketing coordinator at Harrogate Town, too, Mewis counts some of his best career moments as being in the iconic Spygate press conference under Marcelo Bielsa and seeing his beloved Leeds lift the Championship trophy during lockdown.With contributions fromSam Pilger
