Oh Andy Andy
Few players in the footballing profession will have more of a meteoric rise than Dundee United and Scotland’s left back Andrew Robertson.
The 19 year old was born in Glasgow and attended St Ninians high school in the South of Glasgow.
He started his football career at Giffnock Socials Club and was at one point scouted by Celtic and played a few matches with the Hoops under 14’s before being released, the excuse being he was too small.
After captaining his school to the Scottish Schools cup semi-final he was noticed by amateur team Queens Park. A team with a strong reputation of producing good young players such as Barry Douglas of Polish side Lech Poznan and even Alex Ferguson and Malky Mackay who both started their career at Queens Park. Andrew Robertson at 15 was put straight into the under 17’s squad.
After impressing throughout various youth levels Andrew made his debut at the beginning of the 2012-13 Season and went on to make 40 appearances that season scoring 2 goals in the process. Andrew’s targets for that season had been to just make a good account of himself and build a reputation for himself in the lowest tier of Scottish football. In his time in the Scottish third division he played the Glasgow Rangers four times and three of these games were televised, many wondered how he managed to slip under the radar of so many managers. Not Jackie McNamara that is.
Andrew signed for Scottish Premiership side Dundee United on the 3rd of June 2013 along with team mate Aidan Connolly. Andrew worked very hard in pre-season but Dundee United had another left back on loan called Graham Carey the former Celtic and current Ross County player with more experience and a cultured left boot. The Dundee United manager Jackie McNamara was going to bring in 24 year old Carey to give Andrew less pressure if he wasn’t ready for the first team or any inconsistency’s appeared in his game. There has been no sign of that this season. Due to Andrew’s highly accomplished pre-season performances Carey was not offered a contract and Andrew excelled throughout the season. Andrew has played every minute for Dundee United this season.
Andrew’s performances have improved as the season has gone on and he was awarded with his first Scotland under-21 call up in October of 2013 making 3 appearances in total and impressing in a training session with full Scotland squad.
After continuing to impress throughout the season and winning Player of the Month in November 2013, Andrew eventually went on to make his debut for the full international Scottish team on the 5th of March 2014 in their memorable 1-0 away win in Poland.
In this season Andrew has built a reputation for being an attacking left back scoring 5 goals in all competitions and assisting 5 as well. The way Andrew powers forward with the ball is a delight to see but what is even more incredible is the way he powers back to defend. His stamina is truly incredible. He has attracted attention from English premiership sides such as Everton and Swansea. However he says he is happy at United!
Playing style
Andy is very much an attacking fullback who is at his best when the ball is switched to him and he has clear space to run into. In one of the first matches of the season against Motherwell he scored a full length of the pitch goal that got the country noticing this talented left back. He is very good defensively almost always having more pace than opposition’s winger running at him. He is also deceptively strong for a relatively small guy.
Prediction for next season
I believe he will stay at Dundee United after the summer and continue to impress and earn a move to the Premiership in January 2015.
Of all the young talent at Dundee United such as Ryan Gauld, John Souttar and Nadir Ciftci, Andrew seems to have the best all round game, and within the next few years will be pushing to be a main stay in the Scottish side.
By Joseph James
Few players in the footballing profession will have more of a meteoric rise than Dundee United and Scotland’s left back Andrew Robertson.
The 19 year old was born in Glasgow and attended St Ninians high school in the South of Glasgow.
He started his football career at Giffnock Socials Club and was at one point scouted by Celtic and played a few matches with the Hoops under 14’s before being released, the excuse being he was too small.
After captaining his school to the Scottish Schools cup semi-final he was noticed by amateur team Queens Park. A team with a strong reputation of producing good young players such as Barry Douglas of Polish side Lech Poznan and even Alex Ferguson and Malky Mackay who both started their career at Queens Park. Andrew Robertson at 15 was put straight into the under 17’s squad.
After impressing throughout various youth levels Andrew made his debut at the beginning of the 2012-13 Season and went on to make 40 appearances that season scoring 2 goals in the process. Andrew’s targets for that season had been to just make a good account of himself and build a reputation for himself in the lowest tier of Scottish football. In his time in the Scottish third division he played the Glasgow Rangers four times and three of these games were televised, many wondered how he managed to slip under the radar of so many managers. Not Jackie McNamara that is.
Andrew signed for Scottish Premiership side Dundee United on the 3rd of June 2013 along with team mate Aidan Connolly. Andrew worked very hard in pre-season but Dundee United had another left back on loan called Graham Carey the former Celtic and current Ross County player with more experience and a cultured left boot. The Dundee United manager Jackie McNamara was going to bring in 24 year old Carey to give Andrew less pressure if he wasn’t ready for the first team or any inconsistency’s appeared in his game. There has been no sign of that this season. Due to Andrew’s highly accomplished pre-season performances Carey was not offered a contract and Andrew excelled throughout the season. Andrew has played every minute for Dundee United this season.
Andrew’s performances have improved as the season has gone on and he was awarded with his first Scotland under-21 call up in October of 2013 making 3 appearances in total and impressing in a training session with full Scotland squad.
After continuing to impress throughout the season and winning Player of the Month in November 2013, Andrew eventually went on to make his debut for the full international Scottish team on the 5th of March 2014 in their memorable 1-0 away win in Poland.
In this season Andrew has built a reputation for being an attacking left back scoring 5 goals in all competitions and assisting 5 as well. The way Andrew powers forward with the ball is a delight to see but what is even more incredible is the way he powers back to defend. His stamina is truly incredible. He has attracted attention from English premiership sides such as Everton and Swansea. However he says he is happy at United!
Playing style
Andy is very much an attacking fullback who is at his best when the ball is switched to him and he has clear space to run into. In one of the first matches of the season against Motherwell he scored a full length of the pitch goal that got the country noticing this talented left back. He is very good defensively almost always having more pace than opposition’s winger running at him. He is also deceptively strong for a relatively small guy.
Prediction for next season
I believe he will stay at Dundee United after the summer and continue to impress and earn a move to the Premiership in January 2015.
Of all the young talent at Dundee United such as Ryan Gauld, John Souttar and Nadir Ciftci, Andrew seems to have the best all round game, and within the next few years will be pushing to be a main stay in the Scottish side.
By Joseph James