Young Liverpool fan never lived long enough to see them put right Kiev defeat

A grieving mum has described her heartbreak after her Liverpool FC loving son died before getting to see the Reds' triumph in Madrid.

Robbie Fleming was just 26-years-old when he found dead at home in Lisburn, Northern Ireland on June 5, 2018, after suffering from depression.

The last football match Robbie ever watched with his family, including his then eight-year-old son Jack, was Liverpool losing the Champions League final in Kiev.

Now his mum, Alison has told the ECHO of her heartache following Robbie's sudden death and how difficult Liverpool's European win was for their family.

Alison said: “At the moment, we are all still very much struggling, I just can't move on, our family is just broken, a big piece of us is missing.

“Robbie was so loving, funny, kind and appeared not to have a care in the world - he was a lovely son.

“He was also a fantastic father, and just lived for Jack - Jack was his life and he and his brothers were so close.”

Alison said that Robbie loved everything about Liverpool, including the city, the club - and most importantly Steven Gerrard.

She said: “Since Robbie was a toddler he had supported Liverpool, the whole family are Liverpool fans.

“He has been back and forth to Liverpool and all he ever wanted was to see Steven Gerrard.

“From day one, Robbie took to Gerrard, he was obsessed with him, he had photos all over his room.

“He used to beg to go to Melwood and see him - he followed the team around and Robbie really wanted Jack to meet him.

“He loved Liverpool, he always said that one day he would move to the city.”

Eleven days before Robbie's death, he watched the Champions League final with the rest of the family at home together in Northern Ireland.

Alison said: “He was over the moon when Liverpool made the Champions League final last year and he was so nervous, he couldn't wait for the match.

“He and his dad always watched the matches together.”

But after battling with mental health, Robbie sadly died on June 5.

In a message to his family, Robbie requested that at the funeral mourners wore Liverpool shirts.

And on the day of Robbie's funeral, Lisburn was transformed into a sea of red as family and friends gathered at the service.

A year on from his death, Alison said Liverpool's win against Tottenham Hotspur was a difficult period for the family but 'would have meant the world' to Robbie.

She said: “The final was really tough this year, we all just had big hugs, and during the final, we cried so much.

“Watching the game was so hard as the last game we watched all together was when Liverpool lost against Real Madrid.

“Robbie was such a gorgeous boy and it would have meant the world to him to watch Liverpool win the Champions League final.

“If he couldn't make it to Madrid he would have made it to Liverpool.”

Following Robbie's death, Kenny Dalglish, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Roy Evans paid tribute to him, but the family say it would mean a lot if Robbie's hero Gerrard could send a personal condolence.

Alison said: “Robbie and Jack were desperate to meet Steven Gerrard, but never got to meet him.

“It would give me a bit of comfort to know that he knows how much Robbie loved him.”