I played for Rangers in Steven Gerrard's first game but at just 26 years of age I'm now out of work

He cut his time short at Rangers to return south and Ovie Ejaria’s career has pretty much gone in the same direction since making that decision.

It was five years ago this month Steven Gerrard failed to talk Ejaria out of what he felt was the wrong decision to go back to England after finding Scottish football too physical following his loan move from Liverpool in the summer of 2018. And today he is looking for a new club after agreeing to rip up his contract at English League One outfit Reading.

Ejaria only celebrated his 26th birthday last month and it’s fair to say he hasn’t quite lived up to the early hype. Liverpool actually handed him a new long term deal at Anfield before agreeing to send him on loan to Rangers. “I really want to be a regular at Liverpool Football Club, a massive club, so that’s my aim,” he said before packing his bags for Glasgow. But he was soon packing his bags again to return to Merseyside.

Ejaria made 28 appearances - including Gerrard’s first game in charge against FK Shkupi - for the Light Blues and scored twice, including a hugely important and highly lucrative goal in the away leg of their Europa League qualifying tie against Ufa in Russia. It was on a nerve-shredding night when the Gers were reduced to nine men and it secured group stage football in UEFA’s second tier competition.

After he became unsettled, Gerrard reckoned he made the wrong choice to go back to Liverpool. He said at the time: "Am I disappointed he's gone? Yes. Do I think it's the right decision? No, because I think he had an incredible opportunity here. But I wouldn’t stand in any kid’s way whether he was signed with us or on loan. I want players here who are committed and want to help and want to play here. He’s a