Tributes Pour In for Legendary Winger John Robertson at Funeral

John Robertson, a legendary winger who played for Scotland, Nottingham Forest, and Derby County, was celebrated by family, friends, and former teammates at his funeral. Described by manager Brian Clough as “a Picasso of our game,” Robertson was laid to rest on Friday, just over a month after his passing at the age of 72.

The service took place in Stragglethorpe, Nottinghamshire, attracting over 300 mourners, including notable figures such as Forest legends Chris Sutton, Viv Anderson, Des Walker, John McGovern, Stuart Pearce, Frank Clark, and Gary Birtles. Current Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche and Nigel Clough, who played under his father Brian Clough, also paid their respects.

Former Nottingham Forest defender and manager Paul Hart praised Robertson as a “great friend who was very funny and very intelligent,” expressing that he would be sorely missed. Hart reflected on Robertson’s humility, stating, “I don’t think he realized how much he meant to people on and off the pitch. He was just a wonderful guy.”

Gary Birtles, who spent a decade with Forest, described Robertson as an “absolute genius” and a “striker’s delight.” He highlighted Robertson’s humorous nature, saying, “He was funny, loved his music and his jokes. He was a genuine top bloke with no edge to him. Any player would say that John was the best player they played with at Forest.”

Born in Viewpark, North Lanarkshire, Robertson began his career with Drumchapel Amateurs and the Scotland youth team before joining Nottingham Forest in May 1970, making his debut later that year. After being placed on the transfer list before Clough’s arrival in 1975, he became a pivotal player, making 243 consecutive appearances from December 1976 to December 1980.

Robertson scored the decisive penalty in the 1978 League Cup final replay against Liverpool and netted the only goal in Nottingham Forest’s 1980 European Cup victory over Hamburg, having previously assisted Trevor Francis’s winning goal against Malmö the year before. In 1983, he transferred to Derby County, a move that strained Clough’s relationship with his former assistant, Peter Taylor.

An injury hindered Robertson’s progress at Derby, and despite a return to Forest in 1985, he was unable to recapture his previous form and subsequently played for non-league clubs including Corby Town, Stamford, and Grantham Town. On the international stage, he scored a winning goal against England in 1981 and participated in the 1982 World Cup, earning 28 caps for Scotland.

Following his playing career, Robertson served as assistant manager to former teammate Martin O’Neill at various clubs, including Wycombe Wanderers, Norwich City, Leicester City, Celtic, and Aston Villa. In 2015, he was voted the fans’ all-time favorite Nottingham Forest player in a poll by the Nottingham Post.

In recognition of his extraordinary contributions to the club, Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis announced that a stand at the City Ground would be named after John Robertson following his passing.