Walsall defender Liam Gordon on how catastrophic non-league debut made his stronger

Rewind to 2016 and Gordon was plying his trade in the eighth-tier with Ryman Division One South outfit Carshalton Athletic. 

In a real baptism of fire, Gordon was handed his debut aged just 16 and learned a valuable lesson that day. 

Gordon conceded a penalty and was shown a second yellow card as Carshalton were condemned to a harrowing 7-1 drubbing at the hands of Ramsgate. 

For Gordon himself, the experience of being thrown in at the deep end eventually taught him to swim against the tide. 

"Obviously I got the red card in that game but it was a big shift in mentality playing in men's football," he recalls.

"Growing up, I was used to play against men in my area but it wasn't a proper competitive game.