John Robertson: Nottingham Forest & Scotland Legend Dies at 72
Football has lost one of its most quietly brilliant artists. John Neilson Robertson , the legendary Scottish winger and a central figure in Nottingham Forest’s golden era, passed away on 25 December 2025 , aged 72. Robertson wasn’t the flashiest footballer of his generation, but to those who truly understood the game, he was pure class — a player whose intelligence, timing, and left foot shaped some of European football’s most iconic moments. A Career That Defined an Era Born on 20 January 1953 in Scotland , John Robertson rose from humble beginnings to become a cornerstone of Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest dynasty . Originally joining Forest in 1970, Robertson’s career truly exploded after Clough transformed him into a devastating left winger . From 1976 to 1980, he played 243 consecutive matches , a testament to his consistency and importance. European Cup Glory with Nottingham Forest Robertson’s legacy is inseparable from Nottingham Forest’s incredible European success: ...