John Barnes, 54, believed he was Steven Damman who was abducted, aged two, in New York in 1955. The FBI's Andrew Arena said: "DNA samples show that Damman's sister Pamela Damman Horne and Mr Barnes do not share the same mother." And a birth certificate apparently showed Barnes was born on August 18, 1955 - making him less than three months' old at the time of the disappearance.

Barnes' dad Richard called his son's story "bull" and said he had been his father his entire life. He confirmed his son was born in August, 1955, adding: "We brought him home two days later and he's never been out of our sight." He said he and his son are estranged and have not spoken for several years even though they live about eight miles apart.

But John Barnes claimed he had always had a nagging feeling he was not who his parents said he was. He said: "I wasn't sure if I was kidnapped or switched at birth or adopted. I just knew I didn't come from these people." Steven Damman went missing while his mother was buying a loaf of bread from a Long Island store and has never been seen again.

Surely they would have noticed during all those years he played for Liverpool?

To be honest the DNA test was a waste of money.

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