I played for Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool but I didn't even want to see the contract of my new club

I played for Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool but I didn't even want to see the contract of my new club

Back in February 2020, Liverpool-born Adam Lewis made his Reds debut in an FA Cup tie under Jurgen Klopp

Former Liverpool defender Adam Lewis (Image: Getty Images )

Adam Lewis lived the dream of every Liverpool supporter. A boyhood Red, Lewis came through the ranks at Melwood and played for the club's Under 18s and Under 21s on a regular basis. Despite this, he had been patiently waiting for his chance in the first-team.

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Lewis got his first call up to the senior squad for a Carabao Cup tie against MK Dons in September 2019. Although the Reds won 2-0 and reached the next round, he remained an unused substitute.

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However, less than five months later, Lewis finally got the nod from Jurgen Klopp and made his debut from the start in a FA Cup fourth round replay against Shrewsbury Town. The left-back, who was 20 at the time, played the entire 90 minutes as the Reds won 1-0 and progressed to the fifth round of the competition.

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"Listen, it's every boys' dream playing for Liverpool, especially being a scouser and a Liverpool boy, growing up and being around it," Lewis told Liverpool Echo.

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"My whole family was there on that day. I have got two young ones now and unfortunately they didn't get to see that. But hopefully I will take my little girl and my little boy to Anfield one day and say actually your dad did play in front of this crowd, so it will be nice to tell them when they're going in."

After Lewis, a left-back who can play further forward and in midfield, made his debut, the first person to message him was Liverpool teammate Andy Robertson. It was a touch of class from the Scotland international, who has become synonymous to being a class act on and off the pitch.

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"When I made my debut, he (Robertson) was the first person to message me, say well done and congratulated me because he did see how hard I was working for that," Lewis said. "It's always nice for someone to message you out of their own time, and a person who you did look up to while you were there. Yeah, he was brilliant."

Liverpool icon Klopp was the manager throughout Lewis' time in the first-team. The German gave him his first taste of senior football in training and then offered him opportunities in pre-season and on the competitive stage.

It may have not worked out in the end, but Lewis is thankful for everything Liverpool and Klopp did for him. When asked about his time working under Klopp, Lewis said: "Listen, a man of that calibre you've got to trust what he says and everything he said was truthful.

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Adam Lewis on his Liverpool debut in February 2020 (Image: Getty Images )

"He told me I needed to get out on loan, get some game time, get around professional players and men, getting games under my belt. I took that advice and it never worked out for me at that club but I thank everyone at the club for the time I was there, I couldn't fault anything and it's got me where I am."

Lewis spent time out on loan at Amiens, Plymouth Argyle, Livingston and Newport County before leaving Liverpool on a permanent deal last summer. He clocked up more than 100 appearances in that time and got valuable first-team experience, enabling him to sign for Morecambe in July 2024.

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"It was a massive learning curve," Lewis said on his time out on loan. "I started in France and that was the biggest test of everyone. Me and my missus now, she moved over with me and she sacrificed everything to come over with me and she didn’t have to do that. I do owe her a lot and that was the reason that I signed for Morecambe to be back with my family and stuff.

"As I got through the loan deals, everything started to feel easier for me. I went to Plymouth and I probably wasn’t ready for that move, League One was tough. Then I went to Livingston, got injured and I struggled.

"It was when I went to Newport where I started to find my feet again. I did well there and then Morecambe came in for me and I thought I've got to think about my family more than me and that’s what I did, being at home for a year helped me massively and now I am here."

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Lewis spent a full season playing at Morecambe, making 52 appearances in total, scoring once and providing seven assists. Although the Shrimps were relegated and the season didn't go to plan, Lewis produced some impressive individual performances and earned himself a move to League Two side Chesterfield in June.

Speaking after his move to Chesterfield was confirmed, Lewis explained: "I went back to the drawing board in the summer after playing a lot of games last season for Morecambe.

Adam Lewis in action for Morecambe (Image: Getty Images )

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"I went for Chesterfield because when they were interested it was a no-brainer. I've said before that I didn’t even want to see the contract, I just wanted to sign it.

"Obviously playing against them last year I thought they were the best team in the league personally. They never got what they wanted by going up. I think they deserved more, a lot of players were injured. Listen, I have enjoyed my time here so far and hopefully we can have a successful season going forward."

Lewis has so far played four matches in pre-season for Chesterfield. He made his maiden appearance in a 2-1 defeat at non-league Matlock Town, before scoring his first goal during a 5-0 rout against Burton Albion.

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The 25-year-old then featured in a 0-0 draw with Nottingham Forest and 8-3 thrashing of Gibraltan side Europa Point. Lewis is expected to compete with Lewis Gordon for the No.1 left-back spot this season.

"There is so much competition in this team," Lewis continued. "We've got another left-back in Lewis Gordon who played a lot of games last year and we are different players.

"He is more of a defensive player, he is probably better defensively than me, but going forward I would fancy myself. I think everyone knows that. Listen, we've got so many good players in this team and we do need everyone this year. Hopefully we can do that and get promoted."

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Chesterfield missed out on promotion to League One last season after losing to Walsall in the play-off semi-final. Despite this, Lewis believes that the Spireites, managed by Kirby-born Paul Cook, should be pushing for promotion once again, as they prepare for the 2025/26 season.

Asked about if promotion was the aim, Lewis said: "Yeah definitely, I think if that wasn’t the aim, there is no point being here. Last year I thought they passed the ball really well and I always said to myself, 'I wish I can be in a team like that because that’s the way I can show myself'. This opportunity has arisen and I have got to take it."

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