Tribute to John Robertson: A Football Legend

John Robertson, the esteemed former winger for Scotland, Nottingham Forest, and Derby County, has passed away at the age of 72. Renowned manager Brian Clough once referred to him as “a Picasso of our game,” highlighting his exceptional talent.

Robertson was instrumental in Nottingham Forest’s success, scoring the decisive goal that secured their retention of the European Cup in 1980, following his crucial assist for Trevor Francis’s winner against Malmo the previous season. On the international stage, he netted a pivotal goal against England in 1981 and scored for Scotland at the 1982 World Cup against New Zealand.

Over his career, Robertson earned 28 caps for Scotland. He later transitioned into coaching, serving as assistant manager under his former teammate Martin O’Neill at Wycombe Wanderers, Norwich City, Leicester City, Celtic, and Aston Villa.

His biography, “Supertramp,” published in 2012, referenced Clough’s initial critique of him as a “scruffy, unfit, uninterested waste of time,” which transformed into a tribute to his prowess as one of the finest deliverers of a football, comparable to the greats from Brazil and Italy.

John McGovern, his captain at Forest, remarked that he was “like Ryan Giggs but with two good feet, not one,” emphasizing his superior skill.

Born in the Viewpark area of North Lanarkshire, Robertson began his journey with Drumchapel Amateurs and Scotland at the youth level before joining Nottingham Forest in May 1970, where he made his debut later that year.

Before Brian Clough’s arrival in 1975, Robertson had been on the transfer list; however, he became a crucial player under Clough’s leadership, featuring in 243 consecutive matches from December 1976 to December 1980. He scored the winning penalty in the 1978 League Cup final replay against Liverpool.

In 1983, he was sold to Derby County for a contested transfer fee, a decision that strained the relationship between Clough and his former assistant, Peter Taylor. An early injury hindered his progress at Derby, and after rejoining Forest in 1985, he struggled to regain his previous form, eventually moving to non-league clubs Corby Town, Stamford, and Grantham Town.

During his time at Forest, Robertson also celebrated victories in the First and Second Division, the UEFA Super Cup, two Football League Cups, the 1978 FA Charity Shield, and the Anglo-Scottish Cup. In 2015, he was honored by the Nottingham Post as one of the all-time favorite players of Nottingham Forest.

As O’Neill’s assistant, he played a crucial role in helping Wycombe achieve promotion from the Football Conference and Third Division, alongside guiding Leicester City to the top tier and winning the League Cup. His tenure at Celtic was even more illustrious, securing three Scottish Premier League titles, three Scottish Cups, a League Cup, and reaching the UEFA Cup final.

Robertson’s final season as a coach in 2010 saw Aston Villa finish as runners-up in the League Cup final, marking the end of a remarkable career both on and off the field.