Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp, Premier League, FA Cup
Josh Lawless
A former Liverpool player was sued after sensationally admitting to injuring an opponent on purpose in a bid to benefit himself.
Back in 2016, early in Jurgen Klopp's reign at the club, Liverpool took on Exeter in the FA Cup third round - ultimately drawing 2-2 before beating the southwest outfit 3-0 in the replay at Anfield.
With plenty of injuries to first-team players, a host of young players were given opportunities to impress.
Like many players from the academy, Tom Brewitt was desperate to make his debut for the Liverpool first-team but he took extreme measures in a bid to get his chance on the big stage.
Advert
In an appearance on a podcast in 2020, Brewitt admitted that he deliberately took out fellow defender Dan Cleary "on purpose" - feeling as though only one of them would get the nod.
Brewitt said he "absolutely topped" Cleary and though he stressed he wasn't "incredibly proud" of what he did, he also had no shame about it either because he felt it was a necessary decision.
He explained: "Me and Dan always got on to be honest, but I think I ended that relationship. I took the decision, it was me or him, so I went after him in training.
"It was about a week before the Exeter game and I took a bit of a heavy touch in a seven-a-side and he's come in to tackle me.
"I waited a split second too long and absolutely topped him, went over the ball, it was a bad tackle - I knew it was a bad tackle, I did it on purpose and I'm not incredibly proud of it. I'm not ashamed of it, either, because in my head it was me or him and I was choosing me."
After the poor challenge, the pair are said to have got into it - with Cleary ended up crutches. Brewitt maintained that he did not want to hurt his teammate but just "needed him out of the way".
He continued: "There was a bit of a scuffle after it and I think he got sent in for his reaction. Rightly so [that Cleary was angry] as his reaction was probably bang on, and I finished off the session. "He was on crutches for the next two weeks, so it was sort of like, not mission accomplished because I think that's a bit harsh as I didn't want to hurt him, I just needed him out the way for this game.
"If that meant ruining a relationship I had, I was going to do it. I was desperate to play for Liverpool and that's all I wanted to do."
The decision didn't quite do the trick, however, as Brewitt was not included in the squad against Exeter after suffering a concussion - with Jose Enrique deputising as a centre-back.
In fact, Brewitt failed to make a single appearance for the club and moved to Middlesbrough's youth team after a decade on Merseyside.
He later turned for AFC Fylde, Morecambe, Tacoma Defiance, Hartford Athletic and Swindon Town before signing for a third US side in Orange County.
In 2024, it emerged that Cleary was suing both Brewitt and Liverpool for a "loss of a top-level career" and career earnings due to injury and depression after thinking his leg had been broken in the incident.
The outcome of the case, which was at £200,000, is unknown but both Brewitt and Liverpool denied they were liable.
Cleary also failed to play for Liverpool and left after five years, representing Birmingham City, Solihull Moors, Dundalk, St Johnstone and current club Shamrock Rovers.
"There's being determined and then there's this," Cleary said, breaking his silence on the controversy after seeing a video of Brewitt making the claims.
"Karma always works its way back in football. Blowing out someone else's candle doesn't make yours shine any brighter.."
He also said he was "lucky" to walk away with his "leg in one-piece".