My mum convinced me to confront my Liverpool hero after being left out of the team

Liverpool legend Phil Thompson once confronted Bill Shankly - after being told to by his mum.

The former centre-back spent the first 13 years of his career at his boyhood club where he went on to win seven league titles, three European Cups, and two UEFA Cups.

Achieving much of his success under Bob Paisley, the Kirkby native got his start at Anfield under Shankly in 1971 when signing his first professional contract with Liverpool at the age of 17.

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While appearing on Jeff Stelling's Football's Greatest podcast, Thompson opened up about his early years at Liverpool and the moment he was dropped to the bench by Shankly for a clash against Arsenal.

"I was an average midfield player when I started before I made my name as a centre-back and I played about 4 or 5 games on the run and I'm thinking I've made it, I'm 18 years of age and we're playing Arsenal at Anfield and it's a big game but it was a muddy pitch, he left me out, I was the 12th man, only one sub, he said.

"I was absolutely gutted but not a problem. So the boys went out and played the game, we got beat 2-0, John Radford and Alan Ball scored so I come out the dressing room [and] as I said Shanks was my hero but my mentor was a guy called Ronnie Moran."

Thompson was nudged by Moran to ask Shankly why he didn't play against Arsenal, to which Thompson's mother agreed with Moran's suggestion.

"[He was a] great player in the 50s and into the 60s, became a coach in the late 60s, so Ronnie's waiting outside the door and says 'Phil you go have a word with the boss Monday morning and ask him why you didn't play. I said 'Ronnie not a problem for me, I'm just glad to be here and he says, 'Phil that's where the problem lies, if he thinks you accept it, he'll do it to you again, I think you should go and see him on Monday morning'.

"So I went home and spoke to my mum who's a massive Liverpool fan and she said, 'If Ronnie's telling you to do that son he's giving you great advice in your young career, you go and see Mr Shankly on Monday morning, you've got to be brave, you've got to be courageous'."

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After entering the Scotsman's office, the legendary Reds boss lit a fire underneath Thompson as he explained just how successful he thought he could become. "You should be here thanking me for not playing you, that load of s**** out there on Saturday, Smith, Callaghan, Lawler, they're finished [and] they're has-beens, they'll never play for this football club again.

"But you son, you're going to play for this football club for many years to come, you're going to captain this football club, you're going to play for your country, I wouldn't even be surprised if you captain your country. Jesus, you should be here on your bended knees thanking me for not playing you."