Brighton winger Craig Noone is relishing the prospect of locking horns with Steven Gerrard – just a few years after tiling the Liverpool skipper's roof.

The 23-year-old from Liverpool played non-league footballer for Skelmersdale United, Burscough and Southport before earning a professional deal with Plymouth in 2008.

During his days in the semi-pro ranks he was a roofer but he's now making a name for himself at Championship outfit Brighton and is preparing to line up against Kenny Dalglish's side in the third round of the Carling Cup next month.

Noone is joined in the Seagulls squad by former Reds trainee Alan Navarro and excitement is building ahead of the showdown with their boyhood club.

"I worked on Steven's house doing the roof," Noone said.

"It'll be a bit of a difference for him, from seeing me tiling his roof to playing against him. Hopefully he'll have a word with me and he'll be fit. It would be great to play against him.

"When Liverpool came out (in the draw), me and Alan Navarro just went wild. We were running around and dancing, and there was a celebration in the lounge.

"We're not going to think just because it's Liverpool that we can't play our own game and go for it. We'll worry about our own football and be confident going into it."

Gus Poyet's Brighton, who knocked out Sunderland in the last round, have enjoyed a fine start to the campaign with 13 points from five games to lead the way in the Championship and Noone has played a starring role.

"I think we're all pinching ourselves," Noone added.

Source: Liverpool Echo

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