Nottingham Forest described themselves as heartbroken when announcing the death of John Robertson. They remember the Scotsman as a ‘legend and dear friend’ who ‘will never ever be forgotten’ for his ‘unrivalled talent, humility and unwavering devotion’ to the club.
Derby County, the only other club Robertson played for, made known ‘with great sadness’ that their ‘deepest condolences and thoughts are with John’s family and friends’. The Scotland national football team also paid tribute by sharing a video clip of Robertson scoring the winning goal against England at Wembley Stadium in 1981, quoting the commentator, who said, “The coolest man on the field, perhaps, was John Robertson.”
The former Forest player Stan Collymore also shared a lengthy post on social media. It reads: “An incredibly heavy heart, having been told of the passing of John Robertson, Forest’s greatest ever player, my coach at Leicester and one of the loveliest, kindest-hearted humans I’ve met.
“As a kid, he was a hero on Star Soccer with his beguiling wing play, trademark shoulder drop, go past the fullback and cross. When I finally got to Forest, I wore white tape under my shin pads in homage to him.
“At Leicester, with Martin O’Neill, he knew of my issues and problems, and instead, like many, who mocked them, he put a literal arm around me, had words of empathy and kindness and genuinely gave me support. The fact that the lads at Leicester loved him so much was a joy to see, a living legend getting a lot of love from a hard-nosed, experienced dressing room.
“When I retired and started doing radio, I’d often be at Villa Park, the radio point being near the tunnel. More than once, I’d see a plume of ciggy smoke coming from the tunnel an hour after the end of a game, Robbo would poke his head around the corner and say, “I’m listening! I can f***** hear you from here!”
“Last time I saw him was at the World Famous City Ground, where we sat together in a box watching the Trickies. He regaled everyone with great stories, humour and that something extra that he, and another great man, dearly missed, Trevor Francis, had. A warmth that years of the gnarly industry that is pro football never dimmed nor affected.
“He was just “Robbo”, a giant of my childhood, a giant of a club we both were lucky enough to represent, but a good man, just a bloody good man. Sending all my love to Robbo’s family and friends, to everyone at Forest and those who were lucky enough to spend time with him.
“Last year it was Gary Shaw, this year Robbo, the footballing Gods haven’t been so kind in recent years. Robbo, you’ll be sorely missed, thank you for your inspiration as a player, your support as a coach and lasting legacy as a lovely human being. Rest in peace, Robbo.
Another former Forest player, Andy Reid, said on social media: “Gutted to hear this, the best player ever [to] wear the Garibaldi. More importantly, an incredible human being, always humble, respectful, and funny. Condolences to John’s family.”