an early age as a goalkeeper with an "uncommon mixture of height, agility and bravery". Coaching career Kirkland began coaching the goalkeepers at League One club Port Vale in January 2017 as a favour to his friend and former teammate Michael Brown. He also set up the Chris Kirkland Goalkeeper Academy. In July 2018, Kirkland returned to Liverpool as a goalkeeping coach for the women's team. He was appointed caretaker manager of the team on 14 September upon the resignation of Neil Redfearn. Following Vicky Jepson's appointment as permanent manager on 26 October, he returned to his previous role as goalkeeping coach and took on the additional duty as assistant manager. He quit the role in March 2019 to focus on the growing demands of running his own goalkeeping academy. He was appointed as head goalkeeping coach at Colne in June 2020. Personal life He and his wife Leeona had a daughter, Lucy, born on 14 November 2006, which caused him to miss an international friendly match against Netherlands the next day. In April 2008, Kirkland teamed up with fellow professionals Kevin Davies and Brett Emerton to help launch the Get Started programme, a national scheme which aims to tackle re-offending. He visited Hindley Youth Offenders' Institution in support of the scheme, which is delivered by The Prince's Trust in partnership with the Premier League, the PFA and the Football Foundation. In July 2022, Kirkland opened up about his painkiller addiction, and revealed he had previously considered taking his own life. Career statistics Club International Honours Coventry City FA Youth Cup runner-up: 1998–99 Liverpool UEFA Champions League: 2004–05 FA Community Shield runner-up: 2002 Individual Coventry City Players' Player of the Year: 2000–01 Wigan Athletic Players' Player of the Year: 2007–08 References External links 1981 births Living people People from Barwell Footballers from Leicestershire Alumni of Henley College Coventry English footballers England under-21 international footballers England international footballers Association football goalkeepers Coventry City F.C. players Liverpool F.C. players West Bromwich Albion F.C. players Wigan Athletic F.C. players Leicester City F.C. players Doncaster Rovers F.C. players Sheffield Wednesday F.C. players Preston North End F.C. players Bury F.C. players Premier League players English Football League players Association football coaches Association football goalkeeping coaches Port Vale F.C. non-playing staff English football managers Liverpool L.F.C. managers Women's Super League managers