By admin 
Once upon a time, Kirkland was one of the most exciting English goalkeeping prospects, tipped for national fame just as an aging David Seaman was set to lose his top slot.
Since goalkeepers often mature later than their outfield competitors, it makes sense that their worth would naturally soar when a keeper manages to log consistent Premier League minutes as a teenager.
Kirkland, 43, has permanently hung up his baseball cap and gloves. He may not have played there in almost 20 years, but Coventry still holds a special place in his heart for him because he is still one of their most successful academy graduates.
As of the 2001–02 season, the Premier League’s most costly goalkeeping acquisitions
Ascent via Coventry Academy
Coventry City supporters
Born in the neighboring Leicestershire town of Barwell in 1981, Kirkland joined the Coventry City junior setup in the mid-1990s after being turned down by Blackburn Rovers.
With his towering presence and natural athleticism, his 6′ 5″ height gave him the ideal god-given attributes to become a great keeper if he was disciplined enough. He rose through the ranks swiftly, and by the late 1990s, he was vying for a spot on the starting squad.
At the tender age of eighteen, Kirkland made his Coventry senior debut in a League Cup match, winning 3-1 against Tranmere Rovers, a team who had defeated them 5 days earlier.
Being Noticed During a Relegation Campaign
For Coventry City, the 2000–01 Premier League season proved challenging. After 34 years in a row in the first division, the team struggled to stay in form under manager Gordon Strachan and finally faced relegation. Kirkland’s performances were noteworthy in spite of this.
These days it’s easy to forget that Coventry City were unquestionable fixtures in the premier league. This was the Sky Blues’ first taste of relegation since 1958, and everyone associated with the team had a terrible season—perhaps with the exception of young Kirkland.
Kirkland emerged as Coventry’s first choice goalkeeper throughout this unsettling campaign. He made 91 saves in 24 league games while playing, displaying moments of brilliance under trying conditions. For a young goalie, his reflexes and agility were remarkable, especially considering his height. He learned a lot about managing incredibly stressful circumstances. Larger teams began to take notice of Kirkland despite Coventry’s frequently weak defense because of his consistently strong performances.
Liverpool’s scouting crew was particularly impressed by his performance in a 2-0 loss at Highfield Road versus Liverpool. It was obvious that Kirkland could perform at the greatest level in a terrible team; just think of what he could accomplish in a title-challenging one.
The Transfer of Kirkland to Liverpool
After winning all cup competitions in a season spanning 63 games, Gérard Houllier was eager to add more players to his squad in order to pursue even greater success.
Kirkland became the most expensive British goalie at the time when Liverpool spent £6 million for him in August 2001.
This was a major win for Cov, who were having financial difficulties due to their recent drop out of the Premier League in the pre-parachute payment era.
Strangely enough, though, Kirkland was not the only high-profile goalie the Reds signed that season; Jerzy Dudek signed a few days later for a comparable price.
Kirkland was and remained the backup keeper for much his whole Liverpool career due to Jerzy’s seniority and ultimate heroics. Before being traded to Wigan Athletic, where he would play perhaps his finest football and earn a spot in the 2006 World Cup squad as well as a single England cap, he made a total of 45 games for Liverpool in five years.
A stunted professional life
In a different life, Kirkland may have stayed in the West Midlands and helped the team become legendary by bringing them back to the Premier League, but at the moment, the money was just too good to pass up.
Chris Kirkland’s transfer from Coventry to Liverpool was full of promise, but regrettably, circumstances and injuries prevented him from reaching his full potential.
Whatever transpired in his career, the money he acquired from the club at such a pivotal point might have prevented his childhood team from completely leaving the Football League.