Q&AAndy Robertson interview: 'An amazing nine years – LFC means the world to me'

The legendary left-back, who has won two Premier League titles and a Champions League amid a raft of major honours and almost 400 appearances since arriving in 2017, will conclude his Reds career when his contract expires this summer.

Though celebration of Robertson’s Anfield legacy will now be on hold until the season finishes, he sat down with Liverpoolfc.com to discuss the news.

Read the Q&A below…

Andy, it has been announced that you will be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season. Firstly, how are you feeling?

I think I feel better now that it’s out in the open. The hardest bit [in] the last certainly couple of weeks and months is some people that are close to me in the training ground don’t know and more importantly, the fans. The closer it gets, the more and more questions you start to get. I’ve always said that the fans are the most important people at this club and I just think now is the time to tell them what’s going on and that obviously this will be my last year.

I just think it’s better being out in the open, that now I can fully focus on the team from now until the end of the season. I think it’s important that I do that, I’ve always done that. But the time to have the emotional farewell and tell the fans and the people connected to this club what they mean to me, that will come closer to the end. I don’t think I’m quite ready for that yet. It’s just to try to get it out there so I can now be open and honest with everyone.

The wrench of leaving Liverpool is something you’ve had some time to think about and consider. Tell us what has gone into that decision-making for you…

It’s never easy leaving a club like Liverpool, it has been a huge part of mine and my family’s life for the last nine years. But for me, players move on, other people move on – the thing that stays the same is the club and obviously the fans. I’ve had an amazing nine years here. Look, I think it has been well-documented, especially over the last year or so, I’ve had opportunities to leave and I’ve not taken them because of how difficult it is to leave this club. And I wouldn’t change that for the world.

But I know football moves on, I know teams move on and I think now is the time for me to move on and go wherever my next move is and wherever my career takes me. I’ll always look back on amazing memories at this football club, I’ve put my heart and soul into the club for nine years and I’ve not got many regrets. I’ve grown as a man and as a person. This club will always mean the world to me, the fans will mean the world to me. It has been a hell of a journey.

You’re humble enough to not necessarily want to hear it, but you are a Liverpool legend – that’s how you will leave this club, that’s how everyone thinks about you. How much has it got into your heart and what do the fans mean to you personally?

I’ll let other people say if I’m a Liverpool legend or not – I think you know me well enough that I will never accept that. But from minute one I came into this football club, I wanted to be successful. I wanted to try to bring trophies back to this football club, try to help put us back onto a place where I believe this football club belongs. I’m very proud that I’ve been a part of fantastic teams that have been able to do that. The club means everything to me. The people within the club mean the world to me. The fans have always taken to me. I always remember my debut against Crystal Palace when I was a relative nobody – obviously signing from Hull City, only £8 million. I played my debut and already the Kop had sung my name. It was a moment I couldn’t quite believe. Then the next three months I’m not seen again, which I remind Jürgen [Klopp] of quite a lot!

Then obviously when I found my chance, that’s what kept me going in that time and when I got my chance I just wanted to make the people within this club and the supporters proud of the left-back they’re seeing performing week in, week out. They have been outstanding with me, unbelievable with me. Always supported me, always been so positive about me. I couldn’t have asked for a better fan base. I couldn’t have asked for better people within the training ground, keeping me going. The nine years, I’ll look back with a big smile on my face. I do get emotional at times. Now is not that time but saying goodbye to everyone will be difficult. But it’s also the time to do so and it’s also something to celebrate with the nine years we’ve all had together.

Before those final goodbyes do come, it’s a case of business as usual and head down, focused on the final few weeks of the season…

From the minute I came into Melwood in 2017 until my very last day at the AXA, I’ll give my all for this club. That’s what I think has brought success to this club over a certain period of time, where everyone has given absolutely everything. We have a duty as players to finish this season as positively as possible. It has not been the season that we’ve wanted but it’s up to us to try to finish it on as good a note as possible. For me in particular, that’s what will keep me going from now until the end of the season. I know my journey is coming to an end – I know it has been an incredible journey – but I won’t let up.

This club means everything to me. The fans mean everything to me. The people connected to the club mean everything to me. And I think I owe it to them still that until my very last day I’ll give everything to this football club, which I’ve done over the last nine years and I’m very proud of that. That’s not going to change and I think that’s why now is not the time for big emotions or me crying down a camera or anything like that. I’m still fully focused on trying to end this season as positively as possible, to help these lads and to try to give a few more good moments to the fans. That’s my aim and hopefully then we can do it and maybe closer to the end of the season you’ll have me down a camera crying my eyes out.