Gerrard's own goal

[the wes 7,212]

FOOTBALL ace Steven Gerrard’s party-mad wife Alex scored a dramatic own goal yesterday by claiming Liverpool is too rough.

The blonde beauty spoke out just days after the England star was cleared of affray at a top Merseyside nightspot.

She now says she steers well clear of her home city at weekends and on nights out, claiming “it’s rough” and full of the “wrong type of people”.

Instead, she and Steven spend their nights in swanky bars and restaurants in London. But she’s now Kopped an ear bashing from locals.

Mum-of-two Alex, 26, was once among the most familiar faces on the late-night scene and a regular at opening parties for new bars and clubs, but she has earned the full wrath of Liverpool from a police chief, MP and council leader by telling new! magazine: “It’s not the same any more.

“To be honest, it’s rough. Everywhere new that opens attracts the wrong type of people.

“It’s not nice, so I haven’t bothered to go out.”

Alex reckons she’s noticed the city becoming more menacing and threatening at nights.

But yesterday Merseyside Police revealed that official Home Office crime figures show the risk of becoming a victim of personal crime in Liverpool is the lowest of any big city in Britain.

It has the lowest level of recorded crime since 1985, with 57,171 fewer victims over the last three years – the biggest fall anywhere in the country.

And according to the British Crime Survey, reported figures are down 7.2% from the year ending March 2008.

Assistant Chief Constable Helen King said: “These latest figures show the area is getting safer, even with many more people visiting the region, and we are determined to do everything we can to ensure this remains the case.”

Liverpool City Council leader Warren Bradley weighed in, saying: “It’s obvious Alex hasn’t been out in the city for a long while.

“Over £1billion has been spent on making it one of the top four UK city destinations, attracting tens of thousands every weekend.

“Not only is Liverpool a really vibrant and welcoming place, we are one of the safest cities in the UK.”

And Liverpool Labour MP Maria Eagle, also a junior Justice Minister, blasted: “It’s unfortunate she has such a dim view of her home city, and it’s certainly not a view shared by anyone I know.

“We had 5.2million visitors last year and I am sure none of them would describe what they saw here as rough.

“Her remarks won’t go down well here so perhaps it’s better that she’s spending more time elsewhere.”

But a pal pointed out: “Everyone knows Stevie loves Liverpool, so if Alex has put her foot down about nights out there he’s probably really missing it.”

Last week a jury took only 75 minutes to find the Liverpool captain not guilty of affray, even though he admitted throwing three punches at clubber Marcus McGhee, 34, in a row over the choice of music being played in a club. He told the court he had acted in self-defence.

[Kez 2,727]

Attracts the wrong type of people... yeah scousers.

& it's rough because of people like your thug of a husband!

[ZanSnake 1,211]

HA!

At the guy trying to 'impress' her

[Term-X 7,891]

who cares really.