The football world is mourning the loss of John Robertson, the brilliant left-winger who was instrumental in Nottingham Forest's historic back-to-back European Cup triumphs. Robertson, widely regarded as the finest player to ever wear the Forest shirt, has died at the age of 72.
From Ugly Duckling to European Picasso
Robertson's journey to the pinnacle of European football was far from straightforward. When Brian Clough and Peter Taylor arrived at the City Ground in 1975, they inherited a talented but underperforming and seemingly uninterested 22-year-old. Clough famously described him as a "scruffy, unfit, uninterested waste of time." Yet, the managerial duo saw the diamond in the rough.
Through transformative coaching and motivation, they unlocked Robertson's immense potential, switching him from midfield to the left wing. Stocky and not blessed with searing pace, he compensated with a razor-sharp football brain, mesmerising dribbling skills, and an unerring ability to deliver pinpoint crosses. Clough would later hail him as a "Picasso" of the game, a testament to his artistic flair on the pitch.
The Architect of Glory: European Cup Heroics
Robertson became the undisputed creative fulcrum of a Forest side that achieved the extraordinary. After winning promotion in 1977, they clinched the First Division title in 1978 and two League Cups. But his legacy was forged in Europe.
In the 1979 European Cup final in Munich, he was the provider, skinning two Malmö defenders before floating a perfect cross for Trevor Francis to head the only goal of the game. A year later, in Madrid against Hamburg, he turned scorer, cutting in from the left to curl a glorious right-footed winner. These moments cemented his status as a world-class talent and a club immortal.
His mental fortitude was also tested profoundly during that 1980 campaign, when his brother and sister-in-law were killed in a car crash. Attending the funeral just before the semi-final first leg, he returned to score a crucial diving header in a 3-3 draw with Cologne.
A Lasting Legacy in Management and Beyond
After leaving Forest in 1983 and a subsequent spell at Derby County, Robertson embarked on a highly successful coaching career alongside his old Forest teammate Martin O'Neill. As O'Neill's trusted assistant, he enjoyed triumphs at Wycombe Wanderers, Leicester City, Celtic, and Aston Villa. Their partnership yielded League Cup wins, Scottish Premier League titles, and promotion to the Football League.
Renowned for his warm, self-effacing personality and astute judgement of players, Robertson was a popular and respected figure long after his boots were hung up. He was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in his later years.
Born in Viewpark, near Glasgow, on 20 January 1953, John Robertson rose from humble beginnings to become one of British football's true greats. He is survived by his wife Sharyl, his children, and grandchildren. The football community, and Nottingham Forest in particular, has lost its creative heart.
