Bob Houston

{{Short description|Scottish footballer (1877–1954)}}

{{Other people||Robert Houston (disambiguation){{!}}Robert Houston}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name= Bob Houston

| image=

| fullname= Robert Houston

| height= 5ft 11in

| position= Forward

| birth_date= 9 January 1877

| birth_place= Leven, Scotland

| death_date= {{death date and age|1954|11|29|1877|01|09|df=y}}

| death_place= Edmonton, England

| youthyears1=

| youthclubs1=

| years1= –

| clubs1= Leven Thistle

| caps1= | goals1=

| years2= 1897–1900

| clubs2= St Bernard's

| caps2= 24 | goals2= 9

| years3= 1900–1902

| clubs3= Heart of Midlothian

| caps3= 23 | goals3= 8

| years4= 1902–1903

| clubs4= Tottenham Hotspur

| caps4= 9 | goals4= 3

| years5 = –

| clubs5= East Fife

| caps5= | goals5=

| totalcaps= | totalgoals =

}}

Robert Houston (9 January 1877 – 29 November 1954) was a Scottish footballer who played as a forward for St Bernard's, Heart of Midlothian and Tottenham Hotspur.{{cite journal|title=A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players|author=John Litster|publisher=Scottish Football Historian magazine|date=October 2012}}[https://www.londonhearts.com/scores/newplayers/h00444.html (Hearts player) Robert Houston], London Hearts Supporters Club[https://books.google.com/books?id=AOqcDwAAQBAJ&dq=bob+houston+Tottenham&pg=PA213 The Spurs Alphabet], Bob Goodwin; Lulu.com, 2017; {{ISBN|9780954043421}}

In two seasons with Hearts (joining the club alongside St Bernard's teammate Mark Bell) he claimed winner's medals in the Scottish Cup in 1901,{{cite web | url=http://www.londonhearts.com/scores/mrep/19010406001.htm | title=Scottish Cup–Final Tie. {{!}} Heart of Midlothian v. Celtic. | via=London Hearts Supporters Club| work=The Scotsman |date=8 April 1901| accessdate=16 May 2021}} followed by the 1901–02 World Championship.{{cite web|title=History {{!}} 1894-1904|url=http://www.heartsfc.co.uk/articles/20070221/1894-1904_2241543_985232|website=Heart of Midlothian FC|accessdate=16 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140816221231/http://www.heartsfc.co.uk/articles/20070221/1894-1904_2241543_985232|archive-date=16 August 2014}} The opposition they defeated in the cross-border challenge was the FA Cup holders Tottenham, who signed Houston a few months later; in London, he lost the battle for a regular place in the side with future English international Vivian Woodward He was a regular feature of the squad that won the London League that season.{{sfn|Goodwin|1992|p=191}}{{sfn|Soar|1995|p=236}} Houston returned to Scotland a year later, aged 30. After that point, no appearances were recorded for him in major competitions. He had married the daughter of Tottenham's groundsman, and later returned to act as an assistant in the role. He remained in that position till WW2.{{sfn|Goodwin|1992|p=191}}