It’s a story about grief, family, identity, resilience, and legacy that happens to have football at its heart.
He was seven years old when his father died. Too young to hold on to more than fragments. But the world never forgot.
How do you become your own person when your life begins in someone else's story?
This memoir traces a journey from childhood to adulthood, shaped by absence, expectation, and the search for identity. It is a story about loss, but also about what remains — the quiet influence of a life well lived, and the ways it continues to shape the ones left behind.
A portion of the proceeds from Without Robbie will also be donated to the British Heart Foundation, supporting the incredible work they do in funding life-saving research and helping families affected by heart disease.
Years later, people still speak about his father with warmth — about the footballer he was, the man he was, and the way he made people feel. Those stories become a way of knowing him, but also a reminder of what was never fully his.
This memoir traces a journey from childhood to adulthood, shaped by absence, expectation, and the search for identity. It is a story about loss, but also about what remains — the quiet influence of a life well lived, and the ways it continues to shape the ones left behind.
Ultimately, this is a book about loss, identity, family, and learning how to find your own path while carrying the memory of someone you love.
About Robbie
He was more than a footballer. He was a father, a husband, and a man who left an indelible mark on the pitch and in the hearts of those who knew him.
While the stands chanted his name and newspapers chronicled his career, the quiet moments away from the floodlights defined him just as much. This is a reflection on the man behind the legacy.
About the Author
For most of my life, I have known my father through other people's memories. This book is my attempt to understand what he meant to so many people, while also telling the story of what it was like growing up without him.
