“I played with Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez at Liverpool, but the injury left me unable to work”

Former Liverpool midfielder Jordan Lussey has hit a career crisis after failing to play through injury and being forced to use his savings for desperate surgery.

Lussey, 29, was on his way to becoming a regular at Liverpool when he was named captain of the U18 side, having originally joined the academy aged eight. In 2014, he was promoted to the senior team and trained alongside world-class talents such as Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez, but never made his competitive debut.

“I trained regularly with the first team and played in a few friendlies behind closed doors,” Lussey told The Athletic. “I scored in one where I had Steven Gerrard with me in midfield and Luis Suarez up front. I tasted it.”

Lussey was even picked by then manager Brendan Rodgers to join Liverpool’s Europa League side ahead of their round of 32 tie against Besiktas, but his career quickly fizzled out. Almost 10 years later, Lussey is struggling to save his football career while playing for non-league team Marine.

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The former Liverpool prospect was seen as a future star but was released by the club in 2015 after failing to impress when matched up against senior players. That same year he was playing semi-professional football and has remained at that standard ever since.

Lussey now works as a youth football coach alongside playing for the Marines, but a serious ankle injury has left him unsure if he can continue his passion. “When I came back, my ankle got caught under itself, I rolled it over and sat on it,” Lussey told The Athletic. “I heard a noise and then felt a sharp pain.

“I knew right away it was a bad one. I looked at my ankle and it was completely gone. I thought it was sprained. But if it was, by the time I got to the hospital, it had popped back in.”

An MRI scan confirmed that he had torn the anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) and calcaneofibular ligament (CFL) in his right ankle and would require surgery if he was to play or coach actively again. England’s National Health Service said there would be a 12-month wait for surgery, which Lussey did not have.

Lussey has two children with his fiancée Ellie, who is studying to become a midwife. The former Liverpool player assumed he could use his insurance policy provided through the football club to pay for private treatment, but the terms and conditions said only broken bones were covered, not ligament damage.

“I’ve done a lot of research on this and I’m trying to reach out to semi-pro players to check what level of coverage they have. It’s not just the cost of any surgery, but the loss of earnings when you can’t work,” Lussey said. “Whether it’s the FA, leagues or clubs, there should be more to protect players so they’re not left out to dry.”

The Professional Footballers’ Association (Soccer) of Great Britain stepped in and offered $12,700 towards the medical bill and Lussey used his savings to pay the outstanding balance so he could have the operation and return to work as soon as possible possible. Lussey is expected to make a full recovery in four months, and despite no longer being employed by Marine, the club is allowing him to complete his rehab there.

Lussey has also faced pressure from friends and former teammates to set up a fundraising page following his unfortunate situation. The page has raised more than $3,500, and Lussey is extremely grateful for the support he’s received.

“It means a lot. It’s a humbling feeling,” Lussey said. “I was convinced to ask for help and I will forever be grateful for the kindness people showed. I’m still only 29 years old. I wasn’t ready to give up. I will do everything I have to recover. and I make a statement I owe to all those who helped me in a difficult time”.