Natasha Dowie has described it as a "privilege" to call herself an "adopted Scouser" as she prepares to take part in the Game4Hope charity match at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on September 26.
The 38-year-old former Everton and Liverpool forward, who moved to Merseyside from Charlton at the age of 19, spoke to the ECHO in an exclusive interview about her bond with the city and the upcoming fundraising event.
A city that feels like home
Dowie, who has now lived in the region for almost two decades, said Liverpool immediately felt like home. She told the ECHO: "You could go to a coffee shop 1,000 times down in London. And they still wouldn't know who you are, recognise you, or what your order is."
"Whereas up here in Liverpool, you walk into one coffee shop and they soon know your whole life story. And I love that. I can't talk enough about the city."
Dowie, who crossed Stanley Park to join Liverpool from Everton in 2012, added: "It's a privilege to call myself an adopted Scouser now. I always say if they had a fiver, they would give it to you, even if it meant them having nothing. I always noticed that even when I first moved up here to play for Everton almost 20 years ago. It resonated with me that this was my type of city and my type of people."
Game4Hope charity match
Dowie will be part of an England XI for the Game4Hope match, which includes Merseyside legends such as Robbie Fowler and Leighton Baines, under the joint management of John Barnes and Peter Reid. They will face a Rest of the World XI featuring Cafu, Rivaldo and Clarence Seedorf.
She said: "What makes Liverpool so special is the families are always divided [by club colours] but when the times get tough, they do come together. And I don't think any other city would be able to do that."
The match is in aid of Everton in the Community and homelessness charity Shelter. Dowie, who does homeless work in Birkenhead, said: "I haven't been to the new Everton stadium yet, so I'm really excited to have that opportunity. And, I think as well, more than anything, it is the cause. I do a lot of homeless work over in Birkenhead, so I see it first-hand just how bad it is. So, for me, that's something I'm really passionate about."
Progress for women's football
Dowie, a pioneer in the women's game, said being included in events like this is a sign of progress. She added: "It might seem normal that women are playing in [a Legends game], but that's not the norm. It's only something recently that Liverpool has started doing. And still I'm the only one female that plays in that match. It's something I would love to see more."
She also recalled an encounter with a young girl in New York during the LFC pre-season tour of America, who thanked her for her work in the Legends game. Dowie said: "You go through tough periods where you think, 'Why am I doing this?' You feel like you're constantly hitting brick walls all the time and you don't feel like you're progressing. But little moments like that make you think this is exactly why we do what we do."
Dowie, who won an FA Cup and multiple Women's Super League titles, said she hopes that in 10 or 15 years, women playing in such games will be the norm. She added: "It's amazing we get to do these things and we are always going to be the generation that will make the next generation's life easier."
