Matt Oldfield - Gerrard (Classic Football Heroes)--Collect Them All!

It was a sunny afternoon as the two teams walked out at Anfield, Liverpool in red and Crystal Palace in yellow. On the pitch, the players lined up opposite each other to form a tunnel. Liverpool only had ten there was one very important player still to come.

Ladies and gentlemen, the announcer began. This club has been privileged to have many fantastic footballers putting on the red shirt over the years but this player, this man, is truly unique. Please raise your cards now to welcome your captain on to the pitch for his final game at Anfield, the one and only STEVIE GERRARD!

Everyone in the stadium clapped and cheered as Stevie walked on with his three daughters, Lilly-Ella, Lexie and Lourdes. As he moved down the line, the Crystal Palace players gave him high-fives. They had so much respect for all that Stevie had achieved.

Around the centre circle, Stevie waved to all of the fans who had helped to make his Liverpool career so special. He would never forget them, just as they would never forget him. In front of him, at the Kop end, was the most amazing thing hed ever seen. There were lots of flags showing his name and face, and the fans were holding up cards that spelt out SG in huge letters with the number 8 in the middle. Along the side of the pitch, the cards spelt out CAPTAIN. The fans sang his chants again and again.

Stevie had to fight back tears as he got ready for kick-off. The club meant so much to him but after seventeen seasons, it was time to leave Liverpool. He had touched the iconic This is Anfield sign outside the dressing room for the last time as a Liverpool player and captain.

The Liverpool supporters sang Youll Never Walk Alone at the top of their voices. Stevie would always get goosebumps when he heard the club anthem. The team was desperate to get a final win for Stevie and when Adam Lallana scored the opening goal, he ran to give Stevie a big hug. That was for you! he said.

But Crystal Palace werent interested in giving Stevie a happy ending to his Liverpool story. They scored two goals and suddenly Liverpool were risking defeat.

I can be the hero one last time, Stevie said to himself. I really want to score!

He felt tired after another long season and every shot he took went wide of the goal. The fans called for him to keep shooting, but in the last minute Palace made it 31.

It was disappointing to end a club career with a defeat but it wasnt really about the result. It was about a captain saying goodbye to his supporters, and the supporters saying goodbye to their captain.

The Liverpool players came back out on to the pitch wearing 8 GERRARD T-shirts.

A whole team of Gerrards would be amazing! Martin krtel joked with his teammates. We would definitely win the Premier League!

As Stevie walked out, the singing started all over again. He waved to his wife, Alex, and his parents, Paul Sr and Julie, in the crowd. Without their love and strength, he couldnt have become such a superstar. The club presented him with a trophy in the shape of the Number 8 and then it was time for Stevie to speak. He had been dreading this moment for weeks. It was one thing scoring goals in front of 44,000 people but speaking was very different. He was very nervous but with Lourdes in his arms, he took the microphone.

I am going to miss this so much, he said, looking up into the stands. Im devastated that Ill never play in front of these supporters again.

Stevie thanked everyone at Liverpool: all of the coaches and managers he had played under, and all of the teammates that he had played with. He was so grateful to everyone for all of their support over the years.

Ive played in front of a lot of supporters around the world but youre the best, he concluded. Thank you very much.

It didnt feel real was he really leaving Liverpool? When he was young, Stevie never thought that he would leave his beloved club. Top teams had tried to sign him but he had stayed loyal. It wasnt about money; it was about love and pride. Now he was off to play in the USA, for a new club in a new league but nothing would ever compare to Liverpool.

He had played 709 games, 503 in the Premier League, and he had scored 119 goals. With his team, he had won the Champions League, the UEFA Cup, the FA Cup twice and the League Cup three times. He had so many amazing memories from his time at Anfield. It was here that he had grown up from a fierce-tackling skinny kid to become a worldclass, goalscoring midfielder and the captain of club and country.

It had been an amazing journey for this young Liverpool fan from Huyton, and Stevie had loved every minute of it.