I started at Liverpool and now's my chance to play them - family were desperate for tickets

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Barnsley midfielder Adam Phillips reflects on his journey from Liverpool’s academy to facing the club in a competitive game, describing it as a special chance to prove himself. As a boyhood Liverpool player, he joined the club at a young age and trained regularly alongside senior stars, including Steven Gerrard, which he recalls as both inspiring and intimidating. Working under elite standards at Melwood helped shape his professionalism and technical development, even though he never made a first-team breakthrough.

Phillips explains that injuries and intense competition for places stalled his progress at Liverpool, eventually leading to his release. That setback forced him to rebuild his career through spells at several clubs, including Burnley and various loan moves in the lower leagues. He admits it was a challenging period mentally, but says it toughened him, taught him resilience, and made him more determined to succeed. Regular football in the Football League finally gave him the platform to show his quality as a creative, goalscoring midfielder.

Now established at Barnsley, Phillips sees the chance to face Liverpool as a full-circle moment. He reveals his family are desperate for tickets, with many relatives and friends still being Liverpool supporters who watched him grow up in the academy system. For them, and for him, returning to Anfield (or facing Liverpool in a major cup tie) carries huge emotional weight. He insists, however, that once the game starts there will be no room for sentiment: his only focus is helping Barnsley compete, cause an upset, and continue their own ambitions.

Phillips adds that his experiences at a top club have given him belief that he can perform against elite opposition. He wants to use this tie both as a personal benchmark and as an opportunity to showcase Barnsley’s quality. While he remains grateful to Liverpool for his grounding in the game, he is clear that his career is now defined by what he achieves with Barnsley, starting with this high-profile test against his former side.