Liverpool’s Andy Robertson has ended Queen’s Park’s 153-year wait to claim that one of their former players has gone on to collect a top-flight league winner’s medal in England.
Despite their prolific history of producing players, Scotland’s oldest club could never previously boast that one of their own had topped the charts across the border.
One of their earlier exports, John McGregor, joined a Liverpool side that was dominating English football in the ’80s, but his five-year stay was blighted by injury, and he never played a first-team game.
Robertson’s first-ever senior skipper, Tony Quinn, played alongside the left-back when he made his debut at Berwick Rangers in an Irn-Bru Cup tie in July, 2012.
He said: “It is quite incredible to think that, despite all their history in the game, Queen’s have not had a player that went on to win the English League until now.
“The club has produced Scotland captains and European Cup winners, but never this.
“I cannot think of anyone better than Andrew to be the first one to do it.
“Despite moving on to Dundee United, Hull City and Liverpool, Andy has stayed close to his first set of team-mates.
“So we are all delighted at the success that he has gone on to have.”
Ross County signing Connor Randall, meanwhile, insists he will forever be grateful to Jurgen Klopp for helping to get his career started at Anfield.
The 24-year-old came through the academy with the Reds before making his first-team debut under the German in October, 2015, in a 1-0 League Cup victory over Bournemouth.
Randall, who has also had loan spells at Hearts, Shrewsbury and Rochdale, went on to feature eight times for Liverpool before joining Bulgarian side, Arda Kardzhali, in September last year.
The defender, who signed for the Staggies on Thursday, said: “Jurgen Klopp gave me my debut for Liverpool, so that is always something that you are going to be grateful for.
“I was in the Academy when he came in, and he took me up to the first-team on a fairly- regular basis.
“It is a dream come true for any lad from Liverpool. I owe a lot to the person that gave me that chance.”
Liverpool-born Randall joined in the celebrations from afar on Thursday evening.
He added: “I was on FaceTime with family and friends. There were a lot of celebrations going on in Liverpool.
“It was a fantastic night, and one they deserved. So I was very happy – and I’m still buzzing.”
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