Craig Robertson (footballer)
{{short description|Scottish footballer and coach}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Craig Robertson
| image =
| caption =
| full_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1963|4|22}}
| birth_place = Dunfermline, Scotland
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=9}}
| position = Midfielder
| youthyears1 = 1979–1980
| youthclubs1 = Hearts
| years1 = 1980–1987
| years2 = 1987–1988
| years3 = 1988–1991
| years4 = 1991–1998
| clubs1 = Raith Rovers
| clubs2 = Dunfermline Athletic
| clubs3 = Aberdeen
| clubs4 = Dunfermline Athletic
| caps1 = 170
| caps2 = 55
| caps3 = 34
| caps4 = 179
| goals1 = 21
| goals2 = 18
| goals3 = 4
| goals4 = 13
| manageryears1 = 2006 | managerclubs1 = Dunfermline Athletic (Caretaker Manager)
}}
Craig Robertson (born 22 April 1963) is a Scottish former football player and coach who spent most of his career in Fife playing for Dunfermline Athletic and Raith Rovers, broken up by a spell with Aberdeen.
Playing career
Craig Robertson was born in Dunfermline in 1963. He joined Raith Rovers from Hearts in 1980, and stayed with the Kirkcaldy-based club until 1987, when he was signed by his home town team Dunfermline Athletic for £25,000.{{Cite web |title=Craig Robertson |url=http://www.dafc.co.uk/story.php?t=Craig_Robertson&ID=7761 |accessdate=8 January 2016}} In his first season with the Pars he was the top-scoring midfielder in the league, despite the side being relegated.
After 18 months with Dunfermline, Robertson was signed by Aberdeen in December 1988 for a fee of £150,000.{{Cite web |title=Craig Robertson |url=http://www.afcheritage.org/Team/CurrentSquad/player_show.cfm?player_id=160 |accessdate=17 May 2010}} His first team opportunities at Pittodrie were limited, making only 34 appearances in three seasons and so in 1991 he was re-signed by Dunfermline. After the death of Norrie McCathie in January 1996, Robertson was given the task of taking over as club captain.{{cite book |last=Dunkerley |first=Stephen |date=2015 |title=Into the Valley: an East End odyssey |location=Dunfermline |page=4}} The first match after McCathie's death was a home tie against Clydebank in which Robertson scored in the last minute to give the Pars a 4–3 victory.{{Cite web |title=Dunfermline fan zone special |url=http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/dunfermline-fan-zone-special-1-2867165 |publisher=The Scotsman |date=30 March 2013 |accessdate=8 January 2016}} The goal itself has been described by Clydebank midfielder Graham Connell as a "wonder goal",{{cite book |last=Dunkerley |first=Stephen |date=2015 |title=Into the Valley: an East End odyssey |location=Dunfermline |pages=9–10}} with Dunfermline fans simply referring to it as "the goal".{{cite book |last=Dunkerley |first=Stephen |date=2015 |title=Into the Valley: an East End odyssey |location=Dunfermline |page=10}}
Robertson continued to captain the side until 1998, when he was released by the club and retired from football.
Later career
After retiring, Robertson later became assistant manager at Dunfermline Athletic, and became caretaker manager in 2006 following the resignation of Jim Leishman.{{Cite news |title=Leishman stands down as Pars boss |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/d/dunfermline_athletic/6086130.stm |date=26 October 2006 |accessdate=17 May 2010 |work=BBC News}} In 2008, he returned to Aberdeen after being appointed as chief scout,{{Cite web|title=Jimmy's New Spy In Search For Stars |url=http://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/Article.aspx/616012 |date=1 May 2008 |accessdate=17 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726215218/http://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/Article.aspx/616012 |archivedate=26 July 2011 }} where he remained until Derek McInnes was appointed Aberdeen manager in 2013.
Career statistics
=Manager=
{{updated|8 January 2016}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" | ||||
| rowspan="2"|Team
!rowspan="2"|Nat !rowspan="2"|From !rowspan="2"|To !colspan="5"|Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % |
| align=left|Dunfermline AthleticAs caretaker manager
|{{flagicon|Scotland}} |align=left|26 October 2006 |align=left|10 November 2006 {{WDL|2|0|1|1}} | ||||
| colspan="4"|Total
{{WDLtot|2|0|1|1}} |
{{reflist|group=Note}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerbase|name=Craig Robertson}}
- {{NeilBrownPlayers|player1/craigrobertson}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Robertson, Craig}}
Category:Scottish men's footballers
Category:Aberdeen F.C. players
Category:Dunfermline Athletic F.C. players
Category:Raith Rovers F.C. players
Category:Footballers from Dunfermline
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Scottish Football League players