Cardiff's grieving Robinson to 'kick on' for Baldock

Callum Robinson (left) and George Baldock became friends during Sheffield United's 2019-20 season in the Premier League

Cardiff City forward Callum Robinson says he is still processing the death of his close friend and former team-mate George Baldock, and hopes to carry his memory on the pitch.

Greece international Baldock, who played alongside Robinson at Sheffield United, was found dead in his swimming pool in Athens last week.

Robinson is in the Cardiff squad to face Plymouth Argyle in the Championship on Saturday and says the chance to play football will help “take his mind off” the grief.

“It still is now [a shock]. It'll take a while. The first few days is just getting your head around it. It's come out of nowhere,” said Robinson.

“For his friends, family, [fiance] Annabel, his son, you don't know what to say really. The only thing we can do is be there for them as much as we can. It's cruel that something like that happens to such a nice guy.

“At the start I was grateful I was at home for the first few days. By the time it got to Monday or now it's still on my mind, but playing football does help because it takes your mind off it.

“I know the character George was, he would kick on and do it for that person. All of us who were close to him in the football world will be doing that.”

Born in Buckingham, Baldock represented Greece 12 times and joined Greek side Panathinaikos in the summer after seven years at Sheffield United.

Robinson only spent a season with the Blades following their promotion to the Premier League in 2019 but had already formed a strong friendship with Baldock.

“That was the hard bit, we weren't just team-mates, we were tight before, and after I signed we ended up more tight at Sheff U,” said Robinson.

“He was friends with Harry Hickford and I knew Harry through Dele Alli and I was quite close to Harry. I met George in Marbella! We stayed in contact from there and kept chatting.

“After I signed [for Sheffield United], I was around his house having dinner a lot, he looked after me. And seeing posts from other players, he was the same with everyone.

“Any new signing, within the first few nights he would have people around to watch the football. That's the man George was. I’ve just got to keep those memories, and I will keep them until I meet him again.”

Cardiff’s squad includes two of Baldock’s former Greece team-mates, midfielder Manolis Siopis and centre-back Dimitrios Goutas.

Siopis played in Greece’s 2-1 win against England at Wembley last week, during which the Greek players dedicated their victory to Baldock by holding aloft a shirt bearing his name.

“That was class [the Greece tribute]. I was just chatting to Sio and Dimi. It's good talking because it helps,” Robinson added.

“George lit up a changing room. It’s easy to say but he did. He would get the gossip and would always just be walking around making sure everyone was alright.

“That was the thing with George, it wasn’t that he had two or three or four lads, he was with all the lads in the dressing room. It shows with all the love on social media. All the posts were so similar, he blessed a lot of us, definitely.

“It has been tough and still is tough, but I just have to keep it moving because I know he would. I know he's looking down and blessing all of us, as he did when he was alive.”