Robertson’s example one to follow

ON SATURDAY evening, our local community football club will be hosting a screening of the Champions League final for kids, families, coaches and assorted volunteers. You can take it as read that, each time Andy Robertson appears on screen, every grown-up in the room will be turning to the youngsters and pointing to him as a living, breathing, hard-running example of why you never, ever give up. Among elite athletes, it takes something special to be classed as truly inspirational. By dint of his back story, his determination and his endless enthusiasm for the beautiful game, Robertson easily belongs in such company. Every young Scot watching Liverpool take on Real Madrid this weekend will know, by now, that a 15-year-old Robertson reacted to being released by Celtic — a hammer blow from which many kids don’t recover — with humility and a redoubled desire to make it. Joining the amateurs of Queen’s Park isn’t a step that would have appealed to every up-and-coming young prospect; once they’ve been part of a major academy, it’s hard to get out of that ‘Best v Best’ mindset. But Robertson’s journey from working in the Hampden ticket office to Dundee United, Hull and now Liverpool remains a source of joy to all who have watched it. So thanks for doing so much to motivate and encourage the next generation, Andy. If you haven’t quite created a rush of Under-10s volunteering to play in defence (we don’t expect miracles), you’re certainly providing the boys and girls with a role model. And a reminder that who you are at 15 doesn’t need to dictate where you go in life.