I was flicking through the football news last night and I came across a quite incredible story. Steven Gerrard's father has given character witness evidence by letter in a court case in defence of a man charged with an armed robbery.

The incidents referred to by Paul Gerrard, Steven's father, occurred back in 2001 when Steve Gerrard was allegedly being terrorised by a well known Liverpool underworld gangster known as 'The Psycho'.

Gerrard's father stated that 'The Psycho' was trying to extort a large amount of money from Steve and was threatening to shoot him in the legs.

They approached the Police for protection but after that Steve's car was 'smashed up' and he was chased home from training by 'The Psycho'.

The Gerrard's were introduced to John Kinsella, 'The Fixer', by a friend. He assured the Gerrard's that they would have no further problems. From that day on, the court were told by Paul Gerrard, Steven has had no further problems with the Liverpool underworld.

Well that should do it. John Kinsella is obviously an upstanding member of the community who would never get involved with anything remotely criminal. If he has that much authority in the Liverpool underworld he must be a fine upstanding law abiding gentleman.

I found this totally shocking. That's probably because I am incredibly naive but Steve Gerrard was an established England International in 2001, playing and scoring in the great 5-1 win in Germany. I find it hard to reconcile those facts with the image of him or his father having clandestine meetings in dodgy pubs with a man known as 'The Fixer'.

You really couldn't write the story could you? It would be dismissed as being too far fetched. The England playmaker being involved with gangsters in any way, don't be ridiculous. It just couldn't happen.

Paul Gerrard finished the letter saying that he and Steve had the 'utmost respect' for John Kinsella. I've never met the man but I would like to make it quite clear, here and now, that I too respect the man totally.