BOBBY GRANT has saluted England and Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard for helping him carve out a successful career in football.

Grant and now Glasgow Rangers boss Gerrard first crossed paths when the Wrexham attacker was coming through the ranks at Accrington Stanley some 12 years ago. The duo met through mutual friend Ian Dunbavin, who was first choice goalkeeper at Accrington at the time and the friendship blossomed.

Grant insists that it is Gerrard who provided vital words of wisdom as he looked to forge a playing career.

“He’s a really, really nice fella,” said Grant of Gerrard, capped 114 times by England.

“A lot of people who don’t know him have opinions of him and although I’ve never ever played at the level he’s played at - he was the captain of England and captain of Liverpool - to learn off someone like Steven is massive.

“He’s the one who taught me that a lot of people will have opinions of you, but they are people who don’t know you as a person.

“I’ve taken that advice everywhere I’ve been. Steven gave me that advice when I was 17 and if you aren’t going to listen to him, someone who has done everything in the game, then you aren’t going to listen to anyone.

“He’s been a massive help.”

Grant knows only too well that his and Gerrard’s paths have gone down different routes over the last decade, but the 29-year-old knows he can always turn to the former Liverpool midfielder for advice.

“He’s been good to me from when I was 17 and breaking into the team at Accrington,” continued Grant.

“I’m not in as much contact with him now because football takes you down different paths and he’s a very busy man, but he’d be there if I needed to pick up the phone for advice - I could do that no problem.

“If I ever needed to ask his opinion on something then who better to speak to?”

But Grant doesn’t expect to be given the chance to catch up with Gerrard when Wrexham head to Ibrox to face Rangers Colts in the Scottish Challenge Cup quarter-finals on Saturday.

“I don’t think he’ll be in the country,” said Grant when asked if he’d made plans with Gerrard.

“If he is there it will be good to see him, but I don’t think he’ll be in the country.”

Grant is yet to play in the competition for Wrexham, who have seen off the challenge of Ayr and St Mirren Colts to reach the last eight. The attacker is ready for action, however, and knows that a chance to pick up some silverware is not to be sniffed at.

“Wrexham have got to take these cup competitions seriously because, being realistic, we aren’t challenging for the big competitions.

“This is a big competition for us to go and win,” said Grant. “We will train properly and then it’s up to the manager what he does.

“I want to play every game, but so does everybody else and it’s up to the manager to make the decisions, because that’s what he’s here for and he will do what’s best.”

There’s more than an outside chance that Grant will be spending the weekend preparing for next Tuesday’s FA Cup replay with Rochdale at Spotland.

Wrexham squandered a number of chances to put the tie to bed at The Racecourse last weekend, the clash finishing goalless.

A winnable home second round tie with Boston United awaits the winners and Grant is relishing the chance to cause an upset and secure a meeting with the National League North outfit.

“I thought we should have beaten them at the weekend,” said Grant.

“First-half we got into our shape and after the first 10 minutes when we sat off them a little bit, I thought we dominated the game, especially second-half. We had the better chances. We were at home, the fans got behind us and we had chances to win the game, but that’s football. Sometimes the chances go in, sometimes they don’t.

“We’re ready for the replay and we are going there to beat them.”