2 weeks ago
Kevin Sampson, novelist
It was a spot of a astonishment erstwhile we signed Andy Robertson from Hull City – not because he wasn’t a family name, but because each nan attraction had been connected his teammate Harry Maguire. But, lb for pound, nan £8m we paid for Robbo successful nan summertime of 2017 has sewage to beryllium 1 of nan champion worth transportation deals successful Liverpool’s history. Those highest Jürgen Klopp-years, erstwhile him and Trent Alexander-Arnold supplied transverse aft cross, assistance aft assistance … it was an absolute joyousness to beryllium there, to spot that.
All of those awesome memories will beryllium cherished by Reds acold and wide but, for me, nan infinitesimal that champion illustrates and celebrates nan subordinate and nan characteristic was his destiny-changing last-gasp equaliser astatine Villa Park successful 2019. It wasn’t conscionable nan extremity itself, it was Andy Robertson grabbing nan shot and legging it backmost to nan centre circle, eager to restart nan game, knowing Manchester City were breathing down our neck, knowing location was still clip to triumph it. And triumph it we did, with an unbelievable late-late leap from Sadio Mané, preserving an unbeaten commencement to nan play and mounting up a title showdown – successful November – pinch City.
In those crazy days of Klopp v Pep, you could hardly spend to driblet a point. Robbo knew that. He fought for each ball, each minute, each point. We’re going to miss nan mad, superb bastard.
David Usher, editor of The Liverpool Way
“Sadio, I’ll get him, don’t worry”. Andy Robertson, coming disconnected nan section astatine half-time of nan final of nan 2019 Club World Cup aft Mané had been booked for an altercation pinch Flamengo’s Rafinha. That’s 1 of nan first things that comes to mind erstwhile I deliberation of Robbo. He had his team-mates’ backs. What other comes to mind? Roughing up Lionel Messi, laughing astatine Jordan Pickford, moving each complete Manchester City, nan ‘wingmen’ videos pinch Trent and judging biscuits pinch James Milner. I besides deliberation astir José Mourinho saying: “I americium tired conscionable from looking astatine Robertson. Absolutely incredible.” Yep, he was.
Robertson is nan champion left-back I’ve seen astatine Liverpool. He won everything pinch nan Reds and soon he’ll beryllium Scotland’s most-capped player. The relentless energy, ultra competitiveness and terrific transportation from wide areas besides made him nan champion left-back successful nan Premier League for astir of his clip astatine Anfield. But it’s his wicked consciousness of humour and larger-than-life characteristic that makes him truthful beloved by fans and team-mates alike.
Footballers are mostly not relatable anymore but Robbo bucks that trend. He’s normal. He’s ne'er acted for illustration a prima moreover though he very overmuch is one. I situation anyone to deliberation of him without smiling. They conscionable don’t make them for illustration Andy Robertson anymore.
Chris Smith, writer of Always Liverpool
The remnants of really it felt to support Liverpool during Jürgen Klopp’s tenure are leaving pinch Andy Robertson – 1 of nan fewer remaining “mentality monsters” and nan 1 who champion exemplified nan tenet. Robbo near truthful overmuch connected nan field; Anfield’s full near touchline could beryllium named aft him. He group standards and lifted nan corporate successful a measurement fewer ever have. His exit hurts truthful overmuch because it tears distant astatine a tapestry that’s intolerable to restitch. It intends letting spell of that era aliases being mired successful endless yearning for it. Neither action is attractive.
He’s a top-five Liverpool subordinate for me. My mum’s favourite ever. In March we attended the FA Cup necktie astatine Wolves together. Andy’s superb opening extremity was arsenic happy arsenic I’d ever seen her astatine nan match. I asked why she’d truthful taken him into her heart. “He gets stuck in, runs astatine nan guidance and keeps clasp of nan shot successful a tackle. He enjoys each minute, he’s ever trying his champion and supports each nan different players. He’s axenic joy,” she said, adding: “He’s sewage a beautiful grin and much charisma than nan caller players we’ve spent millions on. We are going to miss him for his characteristic arsenic overmuch arsenic his skill, bless him.”
Andy Robertson leaves arsenic nan exemplification of everything we could inquire for from a Liverpool player. And he’s my mum’s favourite. There’s nary replacing this favourite son.
Mark Stevenson, screenwriter
“No kid grows up wanting to beryllium a full-back,” Jamie Carragher erstwhile joked. But arsenic a lifelong Red surviving successful Glasgow, I cognize for a truth that’s not existent erstwhile it comes to Andy Robertson. I’ve seen countless youngsters present wanting to beryllium him. That’s because, alongside Trent Alexander-Arnold, Robertson redefined nan modern full-back, producing assists for illustration a world-class playmaker, play aft season.
In an era erstwhile galore elite footballers look utterly detached from reality, Robbo has ever has carried himself for illustration personification who understands precisely what it intends to deterioration nan shirt, and conscionable really fortunate he is to do so. Nothing astir his profession was handed to him. Released by Celtic arsenic a teen for being excessively small, he fought his measurement done nan little leagues earlier reaching nan top. Even nan celebrated tweet from his Queen’s Park days astir having nary money and life being rubbish reflects nan honesty fans link with. Robertson represents persistence much than perfection.
I was precocious debating Liverpool’s top left-back pinch my brother, who leans towards Alan Kennedy. It’s close, but Robertson gets my vote. I’m gutted he’s leaving, and I still deliberation those legs person a mates much years near successful them astatine nan apical level. But, nonetheless, I’ll beryllium connected The Kop connected Sunday belting out: “Oh Andy, Andy …” because if I was still a kid, I’d perfectly want to beryllium Andy Robertson.
Kev Reilly, contributor to The Anfield Wrap
As a Scotsman surviving successful Liverpool, Andy Robertson’s profession has ever felt that wee spot much personal. The metropolis has agelong embraced Scottish grit and character, from nan aged dockers that settled present done to nan historical legends who person graced nan pitches and dugouts of Anfield and Goodison Park. In that sense, I tin understand why Liverpool supporters took to Robbo truthful quickly. There was a familiarity to him.
Scotland is simply a mini state but clip and again we nutrient athletes who punch supra our weight arsenic a nation. From Andy Murray’s Wimbledon triumphs, to Chris Hoy powering to Olympic glory, to Katie Archibald becoming 1 of nan finest cyclists of her generation. Andy Robertson belongs successful that company. From his #needajob tweet during his clip astatine Queen’s Park, to his breakthrough play astatine Dundee United and his Premier League debut pinch Hull City, earlier arriving astatine Liverpool, his emergence was built wholly connected difficult activity and determination. Now, arsenic he moves connected to a caller chapter, he leaves arsenic Liverpool’s top left-back and arsenic different Scot who wrote his sanction into nan history of this awesome shot club.
Robbo has fixed maine a mini glimpse of what it must consciousness for illustration to beryllium Scouse and support Liverpool. I consciousness fortunate to person watched personification from a spot not truthful acold from wherever I grew up execute things astir group only dream about.
Abigail Rudkin, artist
In November, Scotland qualified for nan World Cup for nan first clip since 1998, 2 years earlier I was born. A fewer days later, Andy Robertson’s wife, Rachel, contacted maine to inquire for a portion commemorating nan achievement, arsenic a Christmas gift for him. I’ve ne'er felt truthful honoured.
The unit was connected to get nan portion right. When I dropped it off, I was fortunate capable to meet Andy. He was truthful kind, funny and welcoming. He gave maine nan clip of time moreover though he had nary thought who I was aliases why I was there. He was precisely who I expected him to be; a down-to-earth, benignant human. He moreover made nan effort to connection maine connected Boxing Day to opportunity really overmuch he loved nan piece. I was bouncing astir nan room erstwhile nan connection came through. I’m truthful grateful to Rachel for giving maine that opportunity pinch my activity and to Andy for being truthful kind. They’ll beryllium greatly missed successful Liverpool.
The relationship to Andy goes beyond his ability. I’m judge I speak for nan mostly of Liverpool fans erstwhile I opportunity he genuinely understands nan club, our values and nan metropolis much than astir modern footballers ever could. He moreover understood nan value of nan derby for illustration a existent scouser. In this aureate era for Liverpool, Andy Robbo stands retired arsenic 1 of my very favourite players.
Dan Clubbe, contented head astatine Redmen TV
Robbo is up location arsenic 1 of my favourites footballers to ever deterioration Liverpool red. Fiercely committed, he embodies everything I adore successful a footballer, everything that makes us, us. From that property against Manchester City, to nan Aston Villa extremity and each laughter astatine Everton successful between, Robbo near everything connected nan transportation for nan badge - and that’ll do for me.
Whilst galore of nan tributes to Robertson will centre astir nan determination – I person surely been blameworthy of this – we mustn’t hide that he was astatine 1 shape genuinely world-class. The heartbeat from left-back, he mixed boundless power pinch unbelievable quality, lifting nan Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup, Club World Cup, Super Cup, Community Shield, and, possibly astir importantly, nan spirits of each 1 of us. The connection ‘legend’ has seldom been much fitting.
Andy Robertson did not simply play for Liverpool, he represented nan club’s values week aft week. A leader connected and disconnected nan pitch, his sanction is firmly etched into Anfield folklore. All that is near to do now is show our gratitude to a existent modern-day, working-class hero.
A small nether 7 years ago, I was many times sworn astatine by my favourite Liverpool subordinate erstwhile I was a child. It was a horrible acquisition and proved to maine that nan aged adage is right: ne'er meet your heroes. Saying that, I’d emotion to meet Andy Robertson, because Andy Robertson is decidedly sound.
Or possibly he’s not. But that’s not nan point. The constituent is that he ever came crossed arsenic sound erstwhile playing for Liverpool and, because of that, forged a unsocial narration pinch nan fans. He was brilliant, and he won nan lot, but he was besides Robbo, nan lad from Glasgow who sent that tweet astir life being rubbish and roseate to nan apical done difficult work, humble dedication and a bully dose of humour, traits that he ne'er abandoned, traits that made him hugely relatable, traits that proved he was – is – 1 of us.
Liverpool person mislaid a batch of games this play and, much devastatingly, mislaid immoderate of their soul. It’s difficult to spot really that gets immoderate amended after Robertson goes, because he much than anyone during nan past 9 years has represented what nan nine is about: winning pinch a collective, defiant spirit. I’d for illustration to meet Andy Robertson truthful I could show him that, and show him how, complete time, he became my caller favourite Liverpool player, my hero. Thanks Robbo, for each of it.
