He's now one of the most feared full-backs in European football, but Andy Robertson's humble beginnings in football saw him on the end of an amusing prank in his time at Hull City.
Before becoming on of Jurgen Klopp's mentality monsters, Robertson made the switch from Dundee United to Hull City in 2014 after being brought to England by then Tigers manager Steve Bruce. The ex-Manchester United captain had wanted an injection of pace in his side but showed a lack of comic book knowledge when scout Stan Ternent told him that he had found 'Billy Whizz' for him.
Speaking exclusively to the Mirror, Bruce said: “I told Stan: ‘I need some energy in this side - go and see if you can find me a couple of young ones.’ He phoned me a couple of weeks later and said: ‘I’ve found a Billy Whizz for you.’ I replied: ‘Who the **** is Billy Whizz?’ I didn’t have a clue - apparently, he was a character in ‘The Beano’ - a lad who can run phenomenally fast. I saw him and thought: ‘Stan’s right. He’s Billy Whizz, this kid.’
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“I brought him in to strengthen the squad but my left-back at the time, Maynor Figueroa, picked up an injury. We played Stuttgart in pre-season and we were in this gigantic, cavernous Mercedes Stadium and I put Andy in. I just thought to myself: ‘What the hell have we got here?’"
Having excelled at Dundee United - winning Scottish Young Player of the Season - Robertson hit the ground running at Hull, but that didn't stop him from becoming the subject of a stich-up on a planned team outing, as Bruce explained.
He said: “We organised a club outing to the races - and Jake Livermore set him up - good and proper. Jake had told him to get a load of beers in. Andy duly obliged. He was only 20 years old and was staggering under the weight of two huge Tesco carrier bags when he tried to get on the coach with them. Two bags - rammed full of Carlsberg.
"He clambered aboard and I’ve stopped him and said: ‘Where do you think you’re going with them?’ He just looked at me and said: ‘What’s the matter?’ I said: ‘You’re supposed to be elite athletes - get that ****ing beer off this ****ing coach.’
"He was absolutely terrified. Petrified. I think he thought I was going to sack him - or smack him. The lads were absolutely howling with laughter at the back. Did I let them have the beer? What do you think? But he learned a lesson. Next time, he asked.”
Now 28, Robertson has gone on to win every major trophy possible with Liverpool since moving to Anfield in the summer of 2017 and is captain of Scotland.
A version of this article was initially published in May 2022.
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