It's great here, claims Adam, they wash your kit

Charlie Adam said he feared he had missed his chance of a move to Anfield (PA)

One of Charlie Adam's revelations yesterday about the pre-season he began with Blackpool – when he was gratified that the usual system of players washing their own kits had been dropped – provided the greatest insight into the gulf he has leaped to join Kenny Dalglish at Liverpool.

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There are other, more predictable contrasts. At Blackpool, his debut against Doncaster Rovers in February 2009 was made before 7,500 fans. With Liverpool in the Far East, he trained in front of 38,000 and scored his first goal in the shirt in front of 80,000 against a Malaysia XI in Kuala Lumpur.

But nothing compared with the washing story. "It was tough to lose out on moving to Liverpool in January," he said of that failed move. "And yeah, you think you may only have one go at coming to a club like this, so it was a difficult time for me. [When] I went back two days in pre-season to Blackpool, and we didn't have to wash our kit then... that was the first time, and it was pretty good. I think the lads are back to washing their kits again now, though."

Adam does not look like an ingenue at Melwood, though. He did most of the talking for the four players being presented yesterday and served up reminders that he knew the big time at Rangers, where he arrived as a 14-year-old but left after eight years in despair of a starting place. "My career has been an experience. It hasn't all been plain sailing, but I've always taken steps forward. I played for Rangers at a young age, and had to go out on loan at times," he said. "People saw Blackpool as a step back, but I saw it as a step forward."

He also cleared up his shooshing gesture after last season's goal at Anfield. "That was not something against the Liverpool fans, because they were incredible. They clapped us off at half-time, back on for the second half and again at the end after beating their side on their own pitch."