Norfolk-raised Dom Dwyer might not be a household name in England but he certainly is in America thanks to his MLS exploits, as Gavin Caney explains.
Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard would have taken advice from an array of sources before deciding to relocate his life this summer.
After 17 seasons as an Anfield icon, the 34-year-old will swap the global limelight of the Premier League for America's top-flight in July. When he arrives a familiar face in the shape of former Reds' team-mate Robbie Keane will greet him at LA Galaxy – once the home of English football's finest export, David Beckham. No doubt Gerrard touched base with both prior to announcing his Major League Soccer (MLS) journey.
Yet there is another countryman he could have spoken to if he wanted a glowing assesment of the state of the game and what it's like to play professional football across the Atlantic. His name is Dom Dwyer.
The 24-year-old may be considerably less reverred in his homeland than the midfielder considered by many as one of the best to ever grace the home of the Merseyside giants. But in the US, Liverpool supporter Dwyer is already settled and becoming a legend. And he believes Gerrard will feel equally at home once he lands in Los Angeles.
Sporting Kansas City's striker, who broke his club's record for the most goals in an MLS season, 22, during 2014, said: 'I'm excited about Gerrard, a bit heartbroken, yet mainly excited still. It's a fantastic opportunity for him and he'll enjoy himself and it'll be cool for his family, and an amazing experience for him.
'You never know when guys are going to peak and there's some top-class players here already. Kaka's obviously just got himself into the Brazil side so he's clearly still going. It should be exciting to see how these guys do.
'The changes I've seen in the game here are unbelievable and it's grown so much. It's almost getting to the point in England where you can't walk down the street without someone sort of noticing you or saying hi. So it's quite cool in that sense. The standard and level of players is getting better and every player wants to play around the best players.'
Dwyer's arrival Stateside in 2009 created little fanfare compared to the impending arrival of the man who captained England.
The former Springwood High School pupil was just a hopeful teenager looking to keep his dreams of being a professional alive after falling through the net at Norwich City. Stints at non-league King's Lynn and Staines did little to whet the appetite of a young man who was told he could forget playing full-time after breaking his right foot four times.
Yet the Norfolk-raised sensation soon started making headlines at Tyler Junior College, scoring 52 goals in 42 games, and winning back-to-back national championships. A move to Sporting KC followed after a successful spell at the University of South Florida.
And although his career there, which started by being selected in the 2012 MLS Draft, initially stalled, a spell at third tier Orlando City fired the pacy frontman back into the spotlight.
A league record 15 goals in a season saw a return to KC in August 2013. A first MLS goal followed, as did copying Beckham's suit in winning the MLS Cup a few months later.
Last term topped that on a personal level with the left-footed hitman finishing just behind Bradley Wright-Phillips, but ahead of Keane, in the battle to win the golden boot.
The runner-up was named in the MLS All-Star Team and has committed his immediate future to Sporting by penning a three-year deal.
So while Gerrard may touch down with a CV that a real Lynn boy done good could only dream of, he'll have to go a long way before he even gets close to matching Dwyer's continuing Stateside success story.
The 'selfie' celebration which sent interest in frontman soaring
Rewind 18 months and Dom Dwyer was barely known outside of Kansas.
Fast-forward to today and there's few enthusiasts of a sport they call soccer in America that do not know of Dom Dwyer's presence.
While his goals have done much of the talking on the pitch, the 24-year-old is not shy to put the work in off it.
A heavy social media output – which has seen him rocket up to nearly 40,000 followers on his verified Twitter account – and numerous attendances at press events has put him in the public eye. It's been a clever campaign-of-sorts that has thrust his abilities and likeable personality into the public's consciousness.
Yet the most intelligent moment in raising his profile, especially back in England, was the now infamous 'selfie' celebration that saw the striker take a picture of himself with team-mate Soony Saad and some supporters after he found the net during a 1-1 draw against Chicago Fire.
'That day one of the guys on the PR team had mentioned it and I thought it would be a cool idea,' said the Englishman, who was booked for his celebration – unlike Francesco Totti who did the same when he scored for Roma recently.
'I thought the fans would enjoy it so I just grabbed the phone and took a selfie, that was it. And then everybody got excited about it.'
Despite dating US ladies' striker Sydney Leroux, and being coined soccer's new power couple, as well as being almost instantly recognisable to millions of people, Dwyer still remains down to earth.
And that's why he continues to want to have fun and reach out to those who support him as he continues to create a legacy that started in his King's Lynn bedroom watching YouTube highlights reels of Thierry Henry as a young boy.
On fame, Dwyer added: 'It's the same for me. I'm not any different.
'Some people may try and treat me differently but I remain being myself and normal.
'I've always got time for people. Obviously you have to be careful and be smarter and keep your friend base. But it's all fun. I want to help the fans enjoy and love the game so I always love connecting with them and having some fun and showing them what I can of my life.'
- To read more from Gavin Caney's chat with Dwyer, and watch video highlights of some of his best skills and goals from the 2014 season, click here.
- To listen to the full interview with Dwyer – the special guest on the most recent West Norfolk Sports Podcast – click here and go to episode 52, or visit www.edp24.co.uk/wnsp
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here