LIVERPOOL’S Kirkby Academy opened its doors for the first time in 1998.

Its mission purpose was to “provide a more focused youth development programme,” and enable Melwood to be kept solely for use by the first team squad.

Gerard Houllier was boss when Kirkby saw its first influx of youngsters, but Rafa Benitez wanted more involvement in the Academy when he took over in 2004 and introduced renowned Spanish youth coaches Jose Segura and Rodolfo Borrell, both former employees at Barcelona's famed La Masia youth academy

Under Borrell’s tenure the number of players progressing from Academy to senior football accelerated with players like Raheem Sterling, Andre Wisdom, Suso, Jon Flanagan, Jack Robinson, Adam Morgan, Conor Coady, Jordon Ibe and Jerome Sinclair all making the transition.

In May 2011, as part of an extensive restructuring of the academy, Borrell was promoted to Reserve team coach with Mike Marsh replacing Borrell as coach of the under-18s.