John Robertson, a star performer for Nottingham Forest and a Scotland legend, has passed away at the age of 72. He was suffering from a long illness and died peacefully at home on Christmas morning with his family by his side.
Robertson is survived by his wife, Sharyl, daughter Liz, and sons Andrew and Mark, along with granddaughters Jess and Phoebe.
Rising from the second tier of English football, Robertson became a key player and guided Nottingham Forest to back-to-back European Cups, securing multiple major honours throughout his career.
“We are heartbroken to announce the passing of Nottingham Forest legend and dear friend, John Robertson,” the club stated. “A true great of our Club and a double European Cup winner, John’s unrivalled talent, humility, and unwavering devotion to Nottingham Forest will never ever be forgotten. Our thoughts are with John’s family, friends, and all who loved him. Rest in Peace, Robbo… Our greatest.”
Robertson played for Nottingham Forest from 1970 to 1983, then joined Derby County from 1983 to 1985 before returning to Forest for the 1985-86 season. He was affectionately known as ‘Robbo’ and represented Scotland, scoring the winning goal against England in 1981 and another against New Zealand during the 1982 FIFA World Cup. Overall, he appeared for Scotland 28 times, scoring eight goals.
In a statement, Robertson’s family shared: “John passed away peacefully on Christmas morning with his wife and family by his side, after a long illness. Our only comfort in our grief is that his struggles are now over, and he is reunited with his daughter Jessica. ‘Robbo’ was treasured by many as a footballing hero, but to us, he was just John and dad, the family man … kind, loving, witty, fun, and loyal. Although our hearts are breaking, we will always be grateful for the years we were privileged to share with him and the amazing memories.”
After retiring from playing, Robertson transitioned to coaching. He served as an assistant to his former Nottingham Forest teammate Martin O’Neill at various clubs, including Wycombe Wanderers, Norwich City, Leicester City, Celtic, and Aston Villa.