Two months in the past, Josh Woods was sitting within the Kop at Anfield cheering Liverpool to a Champions League win over Bayer Leverkusen and singing You will By no means Stroll Alone.
Accrington Stanley’s 24-year-old ahead is a Liverpool fan who grew up idolising Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres.
He nonetheless watches them every time he can however on Saturday, due to the FA Cup, he’ll get to share a pitch together with his boyhood group.
Woods will step out at Anfield with League Two Accrington after they tackle the Premier League leaders within the third spherical.
He was within the Liverpool finish at Wembley to see the Reds beat Chelsea within the earlier than returning to the nationwide stadium when the 2 groups met in Carabao Cup closing final February.
Regardless of one other Liverpool win, his journey to Wembley 11 months in the past turned bitter as he missed all of the motion due to
There shall be no entry points this weekend.
Woods is anticipated to function for the group nineteenth in League Two towards the group six factors clear on the prime of the Premier League.
“Once I go and watch Liverpool I at all times assume to myself, ‘I might like to play at Anfield sooner or later’,” he tells BBC Sport.
“Now it is about to occur. Desires do come true.”
Accrington Stanley, who’re they?
Woods’ love of Liverpool is partly right down to his dad, Dale, who was a steward at Anfield, whereas brother Connor, 26, was as soon as a part of Liverpool’s academy and now performs for Warrington City in Nationwide League North.
Saturday won’t be the primary time Woods, who was introduced up in Skelmersdale, west Lancashire, has stepped foot on Liverpool’s pitch.
He remembers the time he was chased off the Anfield enjoying floor after watching his brother play an academy sport.
“I used to be solely 5, I jumped over the wall and ran on,” he laughs. “I used to be simply operating round in circles. My mum and pa had been screaming at me to get off.”
Across the identical time he had his image taken with the Champions League trophy quickly after Rafael Benitez’s Liverpool overcame AC Milan in a
Woods additionally remembers assembly Ian Rush, Liverpool’s report scorer with 346 objectives, when he was rising up.
“I used to be with my mum in Liverpool and obtained an image with him,” he says.
Rush’s title featured in an iconic that includes two younger Liverpool followers.
One tells the opposite that Rush had instructed him that if he did not drink milk, he would solely be ok to play for Accrington Stanley, who had been within the Northern Premier League when the advert first aired.
The opposite fan asks, “Accrington Stanley, who’re they?”, to which the primary replies, “Precisely.”
“Sure, I’ve seen it,” says Woods in regards to the advert. “It is humorous as a result of every time I point out to somebody I play for Accrington Stanley, they at all times convey that advert up.”
A minimize above the remaining?
Woods was set for a profession as a barber earlier than he signed for Accrington in 2021 after being noticed enjoying for Skelmersdale-based group Clay Forehead.
He has been chopping hair for the reason that age of 12 and used the cash he earned to observe Liverpool.
“I began barbering, working as a Saturday lad in Skelmersdale,” says Woods.
“I by no means thought I’d be knowledgeable footballer. I performed for the varsity group however I used to be by no means good. I simply wished to chop hair and watch soccer.
“I might get the practice from Ormskirk to Kirkdale and stroll quarter-hour to Anfield. I liked watching Liverpool.”
It was solely after Woods left faculty and began enjoying once more together with his associates that he realised he was significantly better at soccer.
“I keep in mind having a race with one of many lads who was the quickest in our 12 months in school and I beat him. I felt utterly completely different in my thoughts and in my physique.”
Woods developed his abilities enjoying Sunday league and was about to go on trial at non-league Warrington Rylands when he was invited to coach with Accrington, the place he now wears the quantity 39 shirt.
His love of chopping hair nonetheless continues although, with team-mates Liam Coyle and Ben Woods – no relation – on his record for a brief again and sides earlier than the massive day at Anfield.
‘A big day – however I’ve obtained a job to do’
Accrington’s common League Two attendance this season is 2,434 however double that quantity are making the journey from east Lancashire to Anfield to cheer on John Doolan’s underdogs.
“Liverpool are the very best group on the earth proper now – prime of the Premier League, prime of the Champions League,” provides Woods, whose response when he discovered Accrington had been drawn towards his beloved group went viral on social media.
A clip of him leaping off his couch and dancing round his lounge has been considered tens of 1000’s of occasions.
“I used to be in shock for the primary hour after which all my feelings got here out,” he says in regards to the draw. “Connor was with me and it obtained a bit emotional.
“We’re each from non-league backgrounds and you do not ever assume you are going to get an opportunity to play at Anfield.”
Accrington are going through a group who’ve misplaced simply two of their 29 video games this season.
In the meantime, the League Two membership have misplaced 10 of their 23 league video games.
“We had one or two dangerous leads to December – we misplaced at dwelling to Bromley and Salford,” says Woods, whose center title is Stanley after his grandad – not the group he at the moment performs for.
“However up to now two video games we have managed to show it round and we will get pleasure from this weekend.
“We’re going in a single day and I wish to take all the pieces in from the journey to Liverpool to strolling out at Anfield.
“It will be a big day. However we all know we’re there to do our jobs.”
