Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has signed a new long-term contract with the club which will effectively see him end his career at Anfield.

The 31-year-old England international, who came through the ranks at the club, made his debut back in November 1998.

He has also agreed to take up an ambassadorial role at his hometown club when he finally hangs up his boots.

"I'm very happy. It's a very proud day for myself and my family," said Gerrard, after signing the deal.

Gerrard's new deal comes on top of the thrill of scoring the only goal of the game at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night as Liverpool beat City in the Carling Cup semi-final first leg.

That took his tally to three goals in four games since making a timely return from two months out following an ankle infection.

"The contract extension coming the day after has been the icing on the cake," admitted Liverpool's Champions League winning skipper in 2005. "It has been a perfect 24 hours.

"This is the club I love and is the club I have supported since I was a young boy.

"I am living the dream as the captain of one of the biggest clubs in the world.

"I love coming to work every day and the experiences I have had since I was eight years of age and first signed for the club, I wouldn't change them for the world.

"To extend that and to hopefully have some more good times in a red shirt is what I want."

One-club man Gerrard has now made 566 appearances since making his debut in a 2-0 win against Blackburn Rovers at Anfield in November 1998, 394 of them in the league.

That is still comfortably adrift of the club's record holder Ian Callaghan, who played 640 league games.

Gerrard did come close to joining Chelsea in 2005, requesting a transfer before performing a U-turn and signing a new deal with the Reds.

But Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish points out: "In this day and age there's not many people who go through their football career and represent just one club. Especially people with quality like