Andrew Robertson — Liverpool’s working class hero

Andy Robertson has bid adieu to Liverpool Football Club after the last game of the season against Brentford, departing Anfield after a nine-year spell.

The Scottish fullback has undoubtedly been one of the bargains of the Premier League over the last decade, having joined Liverpool for a modest transfer fee of £8 million from Hull City ahead of the 2017/18 season.

During his time at Merseyside, Robertson not only established himself as one of the best fullbacks in the Premier League, he also forged an extraordinary partnership with Trent Alexander-Arnold, the two becoming one of the best fullback pairs in Europe for several seasons, breaking plenty of records along the way.

From a struggling teenager at Queen’s Park in Glasgow to winning every possible club trophy with Liverpool and becoming captain of the Scotland national team, Robertson became the epitome of hard work, grit, passion, relentless energy, and discipline.

Let’s take a look at his early struggles, Liverpool tenure, important stats and honours during his time with the Reds and the Scotland national team, and impact off the pitch.

Early struggles and the big move to Liverpool

Robertson began his professional career in 2012 as a teenager, starting with Queen’s Park in Glasgow. Being an amateur club, they only took care of the expenses and didn’t pay the players. Robertson even complained about not earning money on social media, giving a glimpse into the struggles of a professional athlete. However, he continued to play games, worked hard, and earned himself a move to Scottish Premiership side Dundee United in 2013.

Robertson only played one season at Dundee United before he was snapped up by English club Hull City, who procured his services for £2.85 million on a three-year contract. Though Hull City got relegated from the Premier League after the 2014/15 season, Robertson had shown his potential in his first season. He would go on to spend three seasons at Hull City, wherein they went from relegation to promotion and then back to relegation again. Despite their topsy-turvy fortunes as a team, Robertson had done enough on his own at left-back to invite widespread interest from the top Premier League clubs.

As Hull City departed from the top flight after the 2016/17 season, giants Liverpool snapped Robertson up for a fee of £8 million, a move that has proved to be one of the best bargains in Premier League history.

Liverpool tenure

Robertson didn’t become the starting fullback under Jürgen Klopp right away, as Alberto Moreno was the first choice when he arrived. However, Robertson was slowly integrated into the high-intensity playing style that the German manager commanded.

As the final pieces of the perfect Liverpool team clicked, Robertson, alongside Trent Alexander-Arnold on the right flank, became one of the most impressive flying fullbacks over the following seasons. Both of them produced assists equivalent to midfielders and became an absolutely nightmarish duo for opposition teams, helping the team win major silverware.

Under Klopp, Robertson realised his true potential and became a complete modern-day fullback, whose job wasn’t just to be part of the last line of defence but also to be an integral part of the attacking front, providing assists, service on set pieces, and even goals. His performances earned him the starting left-back position for Liverpool for eight seasons before the arrival of Miloš Kerkez last summer. 

Important stats and honours: Liverpool and Scotland

Robertson leaves Liverpool with incredible stats, with a combined 67 goals and assists in 275 Premier League appearances, also becoming the second highest assisting defender in the league with 60 assists. His top performances in both offence and defence helped Liverpool win two Premier League titles (2019/20 and 2024/25), one UEFA Champions League title (2018/19), the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup, two League Cups (2021/22 and 2023/24), and one FA Cup (2021/22). Robertson was also a part of the PFA Team of the Year twice in 2018/19 and 2019/20 and the UEFA Team of the Year in 2019.

For Scotland, Robertson has made 92 appearances, having scored four goals and provided ten assists. He was also handed the national team armband in September 2018, has led the team to the 2020 and the 2024 Euros, and is about to add another feather to his cap by leading Scotland at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with their last appearance at the competition having arrived back in 1998.

Impact off the pitch

Now that Robertson is leaving, Liverpool will not only feel the impact of his absence as an experienced and seasoned professional, but also as a leader in the dressing room. The veteran Scotsman has been vocal both on the training ground and on the pitch, never letting the intensity drop. He has also had a great rapport with his fellow teammates, who have consistently expressed their love and admiration for him as a player and an amazing human being.

Robertson’s class and maturity could be seen by how he handled the situation when another left-back, Miloš Kerkez, joined the club last summer. Instead of feeling aggravated or insecure, Robertson understood that players needed to move on and that he ought to be okay with being rotated, as new players would eventually join and replace the old ones. He not only took Kerkez under his wing but also never showed displeasure over his playing time. Instead, he chose to support the team in whichever way he could and even cheered his teammates from the sidelines.

His selfless attitude and positive mentality are a great asset to his incredible character. Popularly known as “Robbo” by his teammates and the Anfield faithful, Robertson has embodied all the virtues related to the club and the city — that of a hardworking, humble, and resilient human being who has showcased immense work ethic, passion, and grit to achieve great things in life.

He has also helped the communities in the city of Liverpool and throughout Scotland, having made contributions to several food banks in Liverpool and providing Scottish youth access to football training, education, and jobs through his foundation, AR26 Charity.

Conclusion

There have been speculations about an impending move to Tottenham Hotspur that could materialise this summer, with Robertson believing he still has a lot left to give. Even after winning major trophies in his time at Anfield, the veteran Scot still possesses the hunger and desire to continue at the top level — another sign of a truly great footballer.

Andrew Robertson has been an exceptional footballer, an incredible human being, and a massive credit to himself and his family. He has inspired a lot of children and even struggling athletes not just in his country but all around the world, showing that they can achieve greatness with desire, hard work, discipline, a relentless work ethic, and grit.

Andy Robertson has certainly been the working-class hero that we all deserve!