Andy Robertson makes 'dream' Celtic admission as he reveals how curry and £18 wage eased Parkhead heartbreak

Robertson, 32, began his career in the Celtic youth academy, but was released aged 15. He fought his way back into the professional game, though, and went on to become one of the country’s most decorated footballers. He is currently second on the list of Scotland’s most capped outfield players with 97 appearances.

Signing for Tottenham Hotspur on a free transfer in the summer, the experienced left-back was tentatively linked with a return to Celtic after his Liverpool exit. Speaking as the most recent guest on the Stick to Football podcast, he revealed what the club means to him in a discussion with ex-pros Jamie Carragher, Gary Neville, Ian Wright and Jill Scott..

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“I was small and slim, and they made the decision [to let me go],” recalled Robertson. “There was a lot of change at Celtic at that point. Tommy Burns had previously just passed away. New people had came in and they kind of wanted to take it in a different direction. I look at players that had stayed at Celtic. They were maybe there until they were 20, but never made a senior appearance. Then they’re trying to get back on track by going to lesser teams in Scotland.

“I was quite happy I took the step back a little earlier. There was so much change. The coaches who were in there didn’t really know me. All the people that know me, like Tommy Burns, was so good. There was a guy, Tony Taylor, that came over when Tommy was a bit unwell. He got to know all of us.

“The new people only came in March, so they didn’t really have time to get to know the whole youth academy. They offered to help me on the way out, speak to other clubs for me. But I could look after myself. At that point I was thinking about being a footballer. I just wanted to play for Celtic, that was my dream. I’m a big Celtic fan, had a season ticket. Lucky enough to be ball boy for a couple of games. Celtic was everything. So leaving at 15 was not nice. It’s a difficult age as it is. But I had good people around me.”

After leaving Celtic, Robertson signed for his local club, Queen’s Park, on an amateur contract. However, after making a huge impression with the Spiders, he was snapped up by Dundee United, where teams from the English Premier League started to take notice of his talents.

Signed by Hull City in 2014, he caught the attention of new Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, and the club agreed to shell out a fee of £8million for his services in the summer of 2017. One of the German’s first signings, he went on to make 378 appearances for the Anfield club over a nine-year period before leaving to sign for Spurs in June. Recalling his early disappointment at being released from Celtic, the left-back opened up on a special family moment that helped him fight to keep his dream of playing professionally alive.

“I remember after being let go, when I came back from Celtic Park,” said Robertson. “My mum and dad were in the car, and my aunty was at the top of my steps with a carry out. She had my favourite curry. She was convinced I would make it. I don’t know why she had so much confidence in me, but fair enough.

“Because I lived only 10 minutes from Hampden, they had a parameter. One was £6 a night, another was £12 a night. I trained two nights a week, and then the game, so I was £18 a week. I worked in Marks and Spencer’s part time, too. I stayed there a year and went to Dundee United. It was the best thing that happened to me, looking back.”