Peter Crouch admits he did not believe his agent when he was told Liverpool wanted to sign him in 2005.
The Reds had just pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in history when Crouch was told Rafa Benitez wanted to bring him to Anfield.
Liverpool recovered from a 3-0 deficit at half-time to beat AC Milan on penalties and clinch the Champions League trophy in what has since been dubbed the 'Miracle of Istanbul'.
Meanwhile, Crouch had scored 16 goals in 33 games for Southampton but was unable to prevent the Saints being relegated from the Premier League.
And the former England striker admits he did not believe it when his agent told him Liverpool were after his services.
"When Liverpool came in for me, I had had a great season at Southampton," Crouch told Paddy Power's From The Horse's Mouth podcast.
"We'd just got relegated, so I was gutted, but I'd had a great season personally. I was down about the whole thing, but I was at home and got a call from my agent out of the blue.
"Liverpool had just won the best European Cup final - 2005 in Istanbul - that anyone has ever seen and I get this call.
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"My agent says: 'Are you sitting down?' He then says 'Liverpool want you', and I say 'Shut up!'. I thought 'They've just won the Champions League, they'll be going for the cream of the crop'.
"I'd played well but I'm watching that final on television and that seemed a million miles away.
"I get that call and the deal goes through and when I got to the club I realised they're no different to anyone else. I felt comfortable as soon as I went there, and I felt like I was good enough to be there.
"Things went great at Liverpool and I'm so glad I did it. To play for a club that size, playing in those amazing Champions League nights, and we had such a good side when I look back it.
"Liverpool are flying at the moment and we had a great team as well. I had some of the best years of my life at that club and it was a real pleasure to play for them."
Crouch had a slow start to life with the Reds but went on to score 42 goals for the club, lifting the FA Cup in 2006 before joining Portsmouth in 2008.
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