Liverpool legend Gerrard left Austin starstruck and QPR striker asked him for shirt where no teammates could hear him

Footballers usually arrange to swap jerseys once the final whistle has blown but the Queens Park Rangers strike ace was so nervous he spoke to him in the first half of a 3-2 loss in 2014.

Austin's rise from non-league football to the top-flight meant he never spent time around top superstars early on in his career.

But having climbed throught the ranks with Poole Town, Swindon, Bournemouth, Burnley, and then Queens Park Rangers, he found himself facing his heroes, aged 25.

As a Liverpool fan, coming up against the Reds was always going to be special and while co-hosting Drivetime, he revealed facing Gerrard made him feel like a six-year-old such was the England internationals aura.

Both players got assists in the game, which went the way of Liverpool thanks to a Steven Caulker own goal in added time at Loftus Road - but only after Gerrard had scored an own goal.

Asked if he'd ever been starstruck on the pitch, Austin told Drivetime: "Yeah, but only once - Stevie G.

"The time we played against them at home, we got beaten 3-2 by Liverpool, obviously, and there was a break in play and I asked him for his shirt but I was so nervous I asked him during the game.

"I dunno, just being on the pitch with him, his aura, the presence he has, it's incredible. I was well nervous.

"I was like [high-pitched voice] 'can I have your shirt after the game, please?' I turned into a six-year-old. Honestly, yeah."

Asked if he did it where teammates couldn't hear, he laughed: "Of course. He said he'd see me in the tunnel."

Queried about it further, Austin revealed Gerrard gave him the shirt and signed it.

But this was no shirt swap, asked if the Anfield hero had asked for Austin's in return, he added succinctly: "No."