When Andrew Lonergan started for Preston North End against Watford back in April 2001, few could have predicted he’d up joining Liverpool 18 years later.
19 years ago on this very day, Lonergan was handed a first league start at Preston. An injury to David Lucas in the pre-match warm-up meant David Moyes had no other choice but to start Lonergan.
Lonergan was just 17 as his he made his North End debut, and he went on to make more than 200 appearances for the club, playing in one Championship playoff campaign too.
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Lonergan left his hometown club in 2011, following North End’s relegation to the Championship. It was onto Leeds United for Lonergan, starting a run of moves for the shot-stopper.
The goalkeeper ended up heading to Bolton Wanderers, Fulham, Wolverhampton Wanderers, back to Leeds, onto Middlesbrough and then a loan to Rochdale before his big move last summer.
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After a successful spell training with Liverpool, Lonergan earned a shock move to Anfield, penning a deal until the end of the season as Jurgen Klopp brought him in on a free transfer.
Lonergan hasn’t forgotten his roots though, celebrating the anniversary of his Preston debut with a photo of him in action on that day, admitting that he was ‘buzzing’ to play whilst admitting that he can’t believe it was 19 years ago.