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LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Wednesday, October 3, 2012: Liverpool's Jamie Carragher and captain Steven Gerrard during a training session at Melwood Training Ground ahead of the UEFA Europa League Group A match against Udinese Calcio. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
This Is Anfield  •  Liverpool FC News  •  

Gerrard, Carragher & Liverpool legends share brilliant stories and photos from Melwood

As Liverpool leave Melwood for their new training ground in Kirkby, Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and a host of former and current Reds have shared their memories.

The Reds trained at Melwood for the last time on Saturday, with the AXA Training Centre their new home after the international break, following a £50 million redevelopment.

It is a big step for the club, having trained at the site since the 1950s, but it is one that is seen as a necessity as they move forward, particularly as the new facility will encompass all age groups.

Nevertheless, the move from Melwood is a bittersweet one for all involved, including those who are no longer at the club, like Gerrard and Carragher.

The legendary duo were among those to take to social media to share their fond memories of Melwood, with Carragher telling some brilliant stories from his 26 years visiting the training ground, starting as a nine-year-old:

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I first came to Melwood in 1987 as a 9yr old, so many games & training sessions to remember?Shankly’s shooting boards, not being allowed to walk on the A team pitch, Gerry Blayney coming in to give new managers a silver salva, Heighway & McCauley coaching us as 9yr olds, Steve getting me in his office asking me not to go to Lilleshall, Houllier getting me in his & asking about a Xmas Party ??? Pepe Reina nearly killing Rafa after hitting him with a ?? playing in the famous staff games where the staff never lost a game in over 50 yrs! Driving to Melwood after I’d retired ???? all the characters who used to pop in or work there from Big H, Barry, Kenny & Jack on the gate, the two Carols & Anne who was the only person who was there on my first day until my last ? and finally, watching Ronnie Moran bellowing at players as a coach & then coming back years later to do his laps of the perimeter, name this place after Ronnie please @liverpoolfc A tough schooling but the best schooling. #football #melwood

A post shared by Jamie Carragher ?????????? (@23_carra) on

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Memories ??

A post shared by Steven Gerrard (@stevengerrard) on

Other tributes to stand out came from Luis Garcia, Daniel Agger and Lucas Leiva, showing the affinity with Melwood extends beyond those who were born and bred on Merseyside:

But many have come from closer to home, too, such as Roy Evans, who came through as a player in the early days of Melwood and went on to manage the club:

Ian Rush, Michael Owen, Terry McDermott, Jason McAteer, Neil Mellor and Jay Spearing were among those to reflect, with McDermott recalling how he “sweated many a pint of lager out on that turf”:

And there were others from the current squad, most notably Jordan Henderson, who shared photos of his last trip to the training ground, James Milner, who filmed his walk out, and goalkeeping coach John Achterberg:

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One last time…. ??

A post shared by Jordan Henderson (@jhenderson) on

Melwood has been a part of Liverpool for almost 70 years, and it is clear that it has had a huge impact on those who came through it, particularly with the staff who made the players feel at home.

But while the Reds will leave behind their history, as Jurgen Klopp summed up: “The good thing is a place is always only as good as the people in it, and we will take them all to Kirkby.”

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