John Robertson, Nottingham Forest legend, dies aged 72 | OneFootball

The former Scottish striker John Robertson, nicknamed “Picasso” by coach Brian Clough, has died at the age of 72, announced this Thursday by Nottingham Forest, the club with which he was a European champion twice.

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“We are heartbroken to announce the passing of John Robertson, a Nottingham Forest legend and a very dear friend,” the club said in a statement.

“A true icon of our club and two-time European Cup winner, John will forever be remembered for his unmatched talent, his humility, and his unwavering dedication to Nottingham Forest,” it added.

Born on January 20, 1953, in Lanarkshire, Scotland, Robertson joined Nottingham Forest at the age of 17. The arrival of Brian Clough as coach, in 1975, led to him changing position, moving from midfielder to left winger.

Robertson was part of the squad that took Forest to the English First Division in 1977. In a short time, the club became English champion (1978) and won the European Cup twice (1979 and 1980).

For Clough, Robertson was “one of the best wingers ever seen, as talented as the Brazilians or the Italians.”

“You gave him a ball and a yard of grass, and he was an artist. The Picasso of our sport,” he declared, giving him a nickname that stayed with him for life.

For the Scottish national team, John Robertson played 28 matches and scored eight goals. He represented his country at the 1978 World Cup in Argentina and the 1982 World Cup in Spain.

After his glory years at Forest, he signed with Derby County in 1983, before returning to Nottingham.

As a coach, he worked as Martin O’Neill’s assistant at Wycombe, Norwich, Leicester, Celtic, and Aston Villa.

*With content from AFP

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.