Curtis Jones has told the story of how he unwittingly became a meme among Liverpool fans, protesting that it came “before he was media trained” at 18.
“Hello Reds, what a win that was then.”
If you are a Liverpool fan of a certain age, it is likely you have seen the clip of Jones after a 10-9 penalty win over Arsenal in 2019.
The teenager, then only 18, addressed the fans in a short message shared on social media, having scored the winning spot-kick after a 5-5 draw in the Carabao Cup fourth round.
Jones’ softly spoken words to supporters have been wheeled out ever since after Liverpool wins, with it becoming a popular meme.
So when the midfielder, who is now 23, had the opportunity to give his side of the story in an ‘A Day With…’ video for LFCTV, he jumped at the chance.
“Let me tell you exactly what happened there,” he told Rubi Deschamps.
“So before I was media trained, I’d done my interview and someone’s come with a phone and been like, ‘is there any way you can give the fans a little a message?’.
“I was like, ‘yeah, of course’. She said, ‘yeah, if you just say like, what a win that was then Reds, I’m happy to see you all there’, this that and whatever.
“So I’ve just said it how she told me to say it!
“Obviously then that clip got used and ever since…the rest is history. It just become a meme.”
Jones is now in his sixth season as a full-time member of the Liverpool first team, but he was first involved two seasons before that in 2017/18.
Along with his eventual media training, the academy graduate also matured under the watchful eye of some of Jurgen Klopp‘s most influential players.
“I came in the team when I was 17 or so, so I know what it’s like to come into the team and be the new kid and you don’t really know anybody,” he explained.
“Wijnaldum was one of them who took me under his wing and was speaking to me loads. Hendo, Milly and Lallana all played a massive part.
“When I first came round, I think they would say the same thing, I was just this cocky little kid, ‘I’m with the first team now, I want the ball, I don’t want to pass the ball, I want to be me’.
“They shaped me into the kid that I am now, in the way of, don’t lose any of that but the first impression’s always important.
“So with staff around you go and say hello, you always have a big smile on your face, you shake their hand, you say hello.
“If you’re getting your food and you’ve had your food, you put your plate and all that back, you say thank you.
“I’ve taken that on board now and it’s shaped me into who I am now.”
