Andy Robertson and the Glaswegian grit that fuelled his ascent to Liverpool greatness | OneFootball

Andy Robertson has always rejected the notion that his football career is a fairy tale story.

His rise from amateur football at Queen's Park, overcoming rejection from boyhood club Celtic, to winning the biggest prizes in club football, has often had his tale painted in that light. It's easy to see why.

There's the social media post from 2012, in which a part-time Robertson bemoaned a lack of money and the need for a job. He famously worked at the ticket office at Hampden Park to supplement his football pursuit, a venue where he'd later lead the national team to a first World Cup in over two decades.

It is a footballing equivalent to the classic rags-to-riches tale, but one which ignores the obvious.

"Not many things bug me, but if there’s one thing that does, it’s the idea that my story is a football fairy tale," he toldthe Players' Tribune in 2019.

"I know when people say I’m some sort of Cinderella Man that it’s meant as a compliment. I appreciate that, but to be totally honest, it doesn’t feel like one, because it isn’t true.

"No magic wands have been waved in my direction. I didn’t win some kind of lottery to land a spot on one of the biggest clubs in the world. The reason why I’m aLiverpool player is the same reason why I’m captain of my country: I’ve worked my bollocks off to get where I am, and by doing that, I’ve been able to make the most of whatever talent I have."

That last line feels significant. Robertson's road to the top was unorthodox, with even his arrival at Liverpool a deal cast in doubt. Relegated with Hull City in 2017, he signed for Liverpool that summer in an £8m deal. With Kevin Stewart heading in the opposite direction for a similar fee, Liverpool's net investment was minimal. Rarely have funds been better spent.

Robertson took time to get into Jurgen Klopp's side, but once he did, there was no turning back. His indefatigable endeavour instantly endeared him to the Anfield crowd, whose support seemed to lift the Scot to another level.

There was the lung-busting 70-yard press at Manchester City in early 2018 that has come to define him, with roars from all four corners of the ground as a possessed Robertson hunted down blue shirts. His importance continued to increase.

He helped Liverpool toChampions League success in 2019, memorably ruffling Lionel Messi's hair - and Barcelona feathers - in that semi-final comeback. A year later, Liverpool were celebrating a drought-breaking league title, with a rare Robertson goal at Aston Villa a crucial moment in the campaign.

Alongside Trent Alexander-Arnold, Robertson redefined what was expected from full-backs. He broke the record forPremier League assists from a full-back in 2022. Though later eclipsed by Alexander-Arnold, he will leave Liverpool with 60 to his name. That's more than Eric Cantona, Paul Scholes, Eden Hazard, or Mesut Ozil. Numbers not seen before from full-back.

Individual accolades and team honours have not been in short supply, but it's arguably his attitude that has most been revered by the Reds. An endless drive and tenacity have seen Robertson become the ultimate fan favourite who has, unfairly, become a name opposition fans love to hate. It's so often those types who would be most cherished if in their own club's colours.

Amid the glitz and glamour of the Premier League, it's rare that modern footballers can be described as salt of the earth. For Robertson, it feels appropriate, a media team's dream with Glaswegian humour, who has never forgotten his roots.

The 32-year-old leaves Liverpool cemented as one of the Premier League's greatest full-backs, with his heart having helped win the hearts of those at his adopted Anfield home.