Nolan replied to Gerrard's text with funny quip after being stamped on by Liverpool man

Playing for Bolton at the time, Nolan went head-to-head with the Liverpool legend at the Reebok Stadium when a feisty midfield battle boiled over.

Asked by Andy Goldstein if Gerrard was a nasty player, Nolan said: "Yeah, he stamped on me, on my chest. Proper.

"That was at Bolton because obviously we were beating them. If he got an opportunity he'd do you.

"I sort of rolled him so I was able to stay on and he text me after the game and he said 'sorry about that'.

"I said 'I know you're not, really but thanks for texting it'.

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"We were sound after it and I didn't want him to get punished for it because it was part and parcel of the game in those days.

"If I got the chance I would have gone for him as well!"

Gerrard is known for much more than his fiery nature, having led Liverpool to two FA Cups, three League Cups, a UEFA Cup and most notably, the Champions League in 2005.

Growing up as a Liverpool fan, Nolan was full of praise for the Reds' favourite, saying: "He could play everywhere and do everything.

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"If it wasn't for him Liverpool wouldn't have been as successful as they were. He carried that team for years and years and kept them up there with Manchester United.

"He was ridiculous."

Asked if Gerrard is Liverpool's greatest-ever captain, Nolan said: "Yeah. I genuinely believe that.

"Liverpool had a fantastic team but before they got Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano, some of the players that he played with weren't at the level that he was.

"One minute he was there and another minute he was gone, I always tried to emulate that.

"Arriving in the box, he always seemed to be in the right place at the right time, so I tried to do all of those things but he was just tremendous at it."