Chesterfield's Alex Whittle on being released by boyhood club Liverpool, NIke Academy and linking up with boss James Rowe again

After 11 years at the club he joined as a young boy, it was time to step out of the Anfield bubble and with it came a huge amount of uncertainty.

“It is my hometown club,” he said. “All my family support Liverpool and it is a massive club so when you finally get told your world comes down and you are thinking ‘what do I do know?’”

There was no chance Alex was ever going to support the blue of Merseyside. It would have been Tranmere Rovers before the Toffees, he laughs.

Alex came through the ranks with the likes of Conor Coady, Jon Flanagan and Andrew Wisdom.

Reflecting on his time at Anfield, he acknowledges that he probably got a bit too ‘comfortable’.

He should not be too hard on himself, though, as Spanish full-back Suso took his position in the team, who has since gone on to play more than 100 times for AC Milan and is now at Sevilla, as well as having five international caps.

“It was the same routine everyday, it was on the doorstep, five minutes from my house, I knew every coach, so I probably got a bit too comfortable back then but the football upbringing was always to get the ball down and play so that has kept me in good stead,” he told the DT.

There are always going to be periods of adversity in life, but the Reds fan got his second chance and took it with both hands.

He gained a place at the Nike Academy, which was based at St George’s Park, where he joined a group of other unsigned under-20 players who were aiming to get back in the professional game.

The academy is no more. It closed in 2017 after eight years of helping players like Alex, who landed himself a three-year deal at Scottish side Dunfermline Athletic, get signed up.

“That was probably the best thing I have ever done,” he said. “You are with players who are obviously striving to get a pro club again. It gives you a second chance at making it in the game. It teaches you to stay positive. At the time your head is down and you are thinking if you need to go and get a job. It is more the attitude, having that positive mentality and a positive mindset and that made me progress and get back into full-time football.”

Now 27, Alex arrived at the Technique Stadium on a free transfer earlier this month after leaving Gloucester City.

The chance to work with manager James Rowe, who signed him for Gloucester last summer, was a big pull for the left-back.

Alex, who made his Chesterfield debut in the win against Wrexham on Saturday, said: “I think he (Rowe) just gets the best out of you as a person and as a player. You can talk to him on a normal level outside of football. In football, it is straight down to business. He gets the best out of you as a player so when he came in for me I was delighted.

"I get on well with the gaffer and I did well for him at Gloucester. Gloucester messed me about, to be honest. They made me look like I was the bad person but that is just football. I did everything right and went about it the right way and I was delighted to come here.”

On securing a last-gasp win on his debut thanks to Akwasi Asante’s 89th minute strike, Alex added: “I was buzzing and delighted,

“Akwasi is flying, he can’t stop scoring at the moment. He is full of confidence and long may that continue.

“I think he could have scored a few more actually, I won’t tell him that though!

“When I first came in we had to isolate for 10 days and then I was cup tied so I was itching to get a game under my belt.”

With 12 new signings through the door, there is fierce competition for places, especially at left wing-back where Alex and Joel Taylor will battle it out.

Alex said: “I have mostly played left back in my career but I would say I am fairly comfortable in the left wing-back role.

“If there is another good player in your position I think it brings the best out of you. A lot of people said in the National League North that me and Joel were the best two left-backs so it is good competition and you have to be at it every training session. Joel is a nice guy and a good player and hopefully we will bring the best out of each other.”

Alex lost two play-off finals at Dunfermline Athletic, and the National League North play-off final with Boston United last season, so he is hoping to go one better this time.

“It is very early days and I have not been here long but you want to be looking up,” he added. “It is very tight at the play-offs. You want to take each game at a time but you want to be aiming for the play-offs. It is a massive club, it has got a good fanbase, so everything is there to do well. There is a good feel-factor at the moment and we have got good momentum so hopefully we can keep that going.”