[lfc-news] Mellor out to stay a Red - Echo

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Liverpool Echo, 29 Nov 2004
Mellor out to stay a Red
By Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo

NEIL MELLOR brought himself back down to earth following the greatest
moment of his career by confessing: "I'll be happy to go back to the
reserves if it means proving myself at Liverpool."

The 22-year-old couldn't contain his delight at scoring the goal which
could transform both his reputation and his club's season.

After recent interest from Sheffield United, Mellor admits he may not have
been around to enjoy a starring role in a memorable victory if it wasn't
for Liverpool's injury crisis.

The problems faced by Djibril Cisse and Milan Baros opened the door for the
youngster, and a late double in the Carling Cup against Middlesbrough
offered the first genuine evidence to Rafa Benitez there was a solution to
the problems.

Having taken his opportunity in such dramatic fashion, Mellor is determined
to make yesterday the first of many Premiership highlights for the Reds.

"You never know what can happen to you in football. You can be the hero one
week and out the next. I've enjoyed my time at Liverpool and this goal
peaks everything," said Mellor today.

"I definitely want to stay and prove myself to the gaffer. If that means
going back to the reserves I'll be prepared to do that. I don't want to
leave, that's for sure.

"In football there are a lot of ifs and buts. I scored those goals against
Middlesbrough in the Carling Cup and that made sure I was playing
yesterday. If I hadn't done that, who knows? Maybe I wouldn't still be here.

"The gaffer has shown his faith in me by playing me against Arsenal, but
there are still aspects of my game I need to improve.

"I felt I let myself down in certain parts of the game yesterday but I
persisted and kept getting in the right areas. I feel I was rewarded for
that. A goal like that won't do me any harm. It's well known we have our
striker problems, but I feel I've done my best."

Mellor's last second strike was a fitting finale to a dominant Liverpool
performance. The youngster feels justice was done, although he didn't think
he had enough energy left to score such a beauty.

"I was absolutely knackered at the time and just before I scored I was
thinking I wanted the referee to blow the whistle," he admitted.

"Other players might have tried to have a run at the defender but I was too
tired for that. I just spotted a bit of room to the keeper's right and
placed it there.

"It was a fantastic feeling to see the ball hit the back of the net. The
next thing I knew Steve Warnock was jumping on me and I was getting elbowed
in the face by everyone. To come up trumps in the last second is special.

"We made Arsenal look a very ordinary side. We dominated the first half and
although they came back in the second, they never looked as if they'd win
the game.

"The only thing I was gutted about after the game was I'd left the pitch
when the crowd started singing my name, so I didn't hear it. The fans have
been brilliant to me."


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