When you’re an up and coming football player looking to make your way in the game, sometimes you’ll stop at nothing to get a crack at the first team.
That’s certainly the case with ex-Liverpool youth team player, Tom Brewitt.
Back in the 2015/16 season, the first under Jurgen Klopp, Brewitt clearly felt that he was in with a chance of making his bow in the Reds’ FA Cup game against Exeter.
According to BBC Sport, a number of Liverpool’s centre-backs were out injured and, unbeknownst to Brewitt, Klopp was going to play Jose Enrique at centre-back and recall Tiago Illori from his loan at Aston Villa.
Thinking that his debut was only threatened by fellow youth-teamer, Daniel Cleary, Brewitt deliberately set out to injure his team-mate.
“Whatever it took to do it, I was going to do it,” he said to the Football Journeys podcast, according to BBC Sport.
“I was just desperate to play for Liverpool and that’s all I wanted to do.
“I took the decision, it was me or him (Cleary), so I went after him in training.
“Before Christmas and the time between Christmas and New Year, I put myself next to him in possession games, I put myself next to him in games, and I just kicked him.
“I wasn’t trying to hurt him badly but I was trying to hurt him enough so he was out the way and I would play.
“It was about a week before the Exeter game and I took a bit of a heavy touch in a seven-a-side and he’s come in to tackle me.
“I waited a split second too long and absolutely topped him, went over the ball, it was a bad tackle – I knew it was a bad tackle, I did it on purpose and I’m not incredibly proud of it.
“I’m not ashamed of it, either, because in my head it was me or him and I was choosing me.
“There was a bit of a scuffle after it and I think he got sent in for his reaction, rightly so as his reaction was probably bang on, and I finished off the session.
“He was on crutches for the next two weeks, so it was sort of like, not mission accomplished because I think that’s a bit harsh as I didn’t want to hurt him, I just needed him out the way for this game.”
Ultimately, Brewitt was never going to make debut anyway, but his own injury – concussion after hitting his eye against a team-mate’s back while going up for a header a few days before the tie – would’ve ruled him out in any event.