'I woke village up when Liverpool won Champions League - but I rejected them for Arsenal'
'I woke village up when Liverpool won Champions League - but I rejected them for Arsenal'
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Theo Walcott admitted that he celebrated Liverpool's famous Champions League victory in 2005 - just months before he signed for Premier League rivals Arsenal. But when the Gunners came calling, the former Southampton man, a lifelong Reds supporter, snubbed his side for Arsene Wenger's team.
Not long after joining Arsenal, he admitted: "When Liverpool won the Champions League last year, I went mad. I was shouting so loud I think I woke up the entire village where I live!". Even though he wore the Arsenal badge, a young Walcott once seized the chance to act as a ball-boy for Chelsea just to sneak precious moments with some Liverpool legends.
"I was playing in a tournament for Swindon when Southampton and Chelsea showed an interest," he said. "Chelsea invited me to be a ball boy for a match against Liverpool and it was fantastic to meet my heroes Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler. "I was a Liverpool fan simply because my dad followed them. Unfortunately I wasn't born when the team had their golden era, but I enjoyed watching the likes of Michael Owen, Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman when I was growing up.".
Fittingly, Walcott made his final career appearance when Liverpool visited Southampton in May 2023. The then 34-year-old chalked up an assist in a thrilling 4-4 draw, ending his professional career with relegation. Despite being a lifelong Reds supporter, the forward's record against Liverpool was somewhat lacklustre. He played 27 times, winning just six matches and scoring two goals with three assists.
