Robertson, Clough, magic and miracles
Leaping from page nine of the Forest Review for the start of the 1971/72 season is the team photo featuring John Robertson for the first time. He’s on the front row, sitting on the ground cross-legged next to Duncan McKenzie. Robertson was still a teenager, still settling in after arriving from Scotland. He’d made his debut but was still struggling to convince a succession of managers in Matt Gillies, then Dave Mackay and Allan Brown of his value. Robertson’s career took off only when Brian Clough marched into the City Ground on January 6, 1975, and celebrated in many famous Forest Review covers.
Robertson, who has passed away aged 72, enjoyed a fabulous career that provides plenty of learning material for aspiring professionals, not least becoming two-footed, going inside and outside a right-back, and being bold. Robertson’s career also provides lessons for managers. Robertson would not have become Nottingham Forest’s greatest player without Clough’s clever backing.
Clough believed in him. Robertson would not have embarked on those momentous dribbles in the European Cup finals of 1979 and 1980 without Clough’s instruction to his team-mates to give the ball “to the fat lad on the left” and to Robertson to attack his full-back. Tactically and temperamentally, Clough’s handling of Robertson was a masterclass in managing a player. He was a genius at judging a player. He created magic and miracles.
Robertson performed with remarkable consistency, a credit to his determination and Clough’s management. He played in an era when defenders got free hits at wingers, when flair wasn’t protected by referees as now and when pitches, bowling greens now, were often muddied or strewn with pivots. Of the many remarkable stats associated with Robertson, the assists, goals and penalties, it is the run of 243 consecutive appearances for Forest between 1976 and 1980 that also leaps from the history books.