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John Robertson, who passed away at the age of 72, was once hailed by the legendary Nottingham Forest manager Brian Clough as “the Picasso of our game.” Before Clough’s arrival at the City Ground in January 1975, Robertson’s talent was often overlooked, hidden beneath an unkempt appearance. However, Clough recognized his potential and unleashed the Scottish winger’s creativity and skill, which became pivotal to Forest’s success during the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Robertson played a key role in Forest’s remarkable achievements, helping the team win the First Division title and League Cup in their first season after promotion in 1977-78. His influence was crucial in Forest’s European Cup victories, not only assisting Trevor Francis with the winning header in 1979 against Malmo but also scoring the decisive goal against SV Hamburg at the Bernabeu in 1980, helping the club retain the trophy. Despite his on-field success, Robertson was also at the heart of a bitter fallout between Clough and his long-time managerial partner Peter Taylor in 1983, due to Taylor’s signing of Robertson to Derby County without Clough’s knowledge.
Before his breakthrough under Clough, Robertson had represented Scotland at schoolboy and youth levels, joining Forest as a teenager in 1970 but failing to make an impact initially. Clough’s autobiography highlights the contrast between Robertson’s shabby appearance and his exceptional talent, describing him as a scruffy, unfit, and uninterested player who turned into one of the finest producers of football ever seen. Robertson admired Clough deeply, crediting the manager for his career and calling him a figure he loved. Between December 1976 and December 1980, Robertson played 243 consecutive matches, making him the core of Forest’s success even after the club acquired star players like Peter Shilton and Trevor Francis.
Robertson’s skill was not only acknowledged by Clough but also his teammates. Martin O’Neill described him as “the most influential player in Europe for maybe three-and-a-half to four years,” while captain John McGovern compared him to Ryan Giggs but with two good feet. Despite admitting to lacking speed and tackling ability, Robertson’s precise crossing, two-footed ability, and knack for crucial goals made him indispensable. In a memorable pre-match interview for the 1980 European Cup final, Clough described Robertson in glowing terms, predicting his impact on the game against Hamburg, which Robertson decisively influenced by scoring from outside the box. Later in his career, Robertson played 386 games and scored 61 goals for Forest before a contentious move to Derby County strained the relationship between Clough and Taylor irreparably. He earned 28 caps for Scotland, featured in two World Cups, and scored memorable goals including a penalty winner against England at Wembley in 1981. After retiring, he worked alongside Martin O’Neill in various coaching roles, but it is his mastery during the Clough years at the City Ground that remains his enduring legacy
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