Born in
Whiston, Merseyside,
[2] Gerrard started out playing for hometown team Whiston Juniors, where he was noticed by Liverpool scouts. He joined the
Liverpool Academy at age nine.
[19] His childhood footballing heroes were
John Barnes and
Ian Rush at Liverpool and
Paul Gascoigne for England.
[20]
Although not a Catholic and living outside the catchment area, Gerrard attended
Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School upon the recommendation of his primary school teacher, whose husband was a PE teacher there, due to its superior football reputation over more local schools.
[21][22] Gerrard had trials with various clubs at fourteen, but his success was not immediate—Gerrard never made it into the England schoolboys' team. Gerrard's trials included
Manchester United, which he claimed in his 2006 autobiography was "to pressure Liverpool into giving me a
YTS contract."
[23] He signed his first professional contract with Liverpool on 5 November 1997.
[23]