The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Robertson’s progress magnifies cup victory
MacLean insists Saints deserved greater credit given strength of United side
Andy Robertson’s achievement in getting to a Champions League final with Liverpool has helped to magnify St Johnstone’s 2014 Scottish Cup triumph, according to Steven MacLean.
Since he scored the second goal to defeat United at Celtic Park four years ago, the 35-year-old has watched several of his opponents that day earn big moves and make their mark elsewhere.
And top of the pile is left-back Robertson, who will line up for the Anfield side against the mighty Real Madrid in the biggest club game in world football on Saturday night.
“Dundee United had a great side,” said MacLean, who will play for Hearts next season after six years at McDiarmid Park.
“Just look at what Andy Robertson has gone on to achieve.
“Robertson is now regarded as one of the best left-backs in England and is about to play in a Champions League final.
“Stuart Armstrong has gone on to do well for Celtic and Scotland. And they had Mackay-Steven, Gauld, Ciftci, Souttar and others. It makes the achievement even better when you see what some of those players have gone on to do – especially now that Robertson is playing in the biggest game in European football. “It shows what a good team we were. “Whether we got enough credit for it or not, who cares. We won a Scottish Cup and that’s all that matters.
“We beat a top Aberdeen side in the semi and a top Dundee United side in the final. What a day it was.”
Meanwhile Brechin City defender Ryan McGeever still recalls Robertson’s swagger when he became the first Queen’s Park kid to pass his driving test.
Little did he know that his pal was embarking on a road to the Champions League final.
McGeever was Robertson’s team-mate from the age of 15 as they emerged through the ranks together at Hampden – and he is adamant the astonishing rise to prominence could not have happened to a nicer lad.
Robertson will be charged with shackling Zinedine Zidane’s superstars on Saturday as Liverpool seek to halt the Real Madrid juggernaut, but McGeever is adamant the Giffnock boy will return to Scottish soil – regardless of result – as the same down-to-earth character.
“He was so cheeky, I remember he was the first one to pass his driving test and he let everyone know about it,” recalled McGeever.
“The boys were all just turning 17 and starting to do their tests – and he took no time at all. I guess he was always a quick learner!
“He’s a genuinely lovely, funny guy. He was from just up the road in Giffnock and came from a really nice family. If we were talking about someone who had a wee arrogant streak or anything, you might grudge the success, but Andy and his family deserve it.
“I’ve met him a couple of times for a coffee and the amazing thing is that he’s exactly the same wee guy.
“I messaged him on Instagram after the semi-final against Roma to tell him me and my old man were watching and we were buzzing for him, and he got back in touch straight away to say thanks and how much he appreciated it.
“Just small things like that, when you consider how many folk must have been congratulating him, show what a top man he is.”
Supporting his mate in Kiev, however, will prove a step too far for McGeever.
He laughed: “Sadly, my part-time wages at Brechin have stopped for the summer, so the flight to Kiev might have been a struggle!”