The Anfield Way

Dean Saunders may have scored goals wherever he's been, but his heart - and footballing philosophy - will always belong to Liverpool.

The former Welsh international told Goals on Sunday that it was always his dream to follow in his father's footsteps and play at Anfield.

He did just that when the club paid a then-British record £2.9million to Derby County for him in 1988 and he still singles that out as the highlight of a glittering career that also brought international recognition.

"My dad played for Liverpool and had a bin-liner full of cuttings, so I was brought up on it," he said.

"He played in the same team as Billy Liddell and Bob Paisley so I was always brought up with Liverpool. I got a free transfer when I was 18 and went to Brighton.

"Then I went from Brighton to Oxford, Oxford to Derby, in a short period of time and then I managed to find myself with Liverpool wanting to sign me - I couldn't believe it.

"I made my mind up; they had Peter Beardsley, Ian Rush, Jan Mjolby, all the best players and I thought if I could play in that team it would be unbelievable. It's a brilliant club."

Saunders' time at Anfield came after Liverpool had dominated the First Division for almost a decade.

But he did mark his first full season with a medal as part of the side that beat Sunderland 2-0 to lift the FA Cup in 1992 - and still regards that as the highlight of his career.

"We managed to win the FA Cup at Wembley and I remember walking down the steps at Wembley - I'd only ever watched the cup final on TV - and I thought I had a free transfer not so long ago and now I've got an FA Cup winner's medal!" he said.

"It's the best thing I ever won to this day - because it's the first thing I won."

He is now managing Conference outfit Wrexham and although he admits he it took him some time to "get my head round the league", he is trying to pass on the Boot Room philosophy to his players.

And it appears to be working because they are currently top of the table.

"What I tell my players now, it's all about what I learned at Liverpool really," he said.

"Working with John Toshack, Graeme Souness, Roy Evans and my dad played for Liverpool for 12 years, so everything I try and put over to the players all stems from simple beliefs they had at Liverpool."