Scottish football mourns John Robertson

Former Scotland, Nottingham Forest and Derby County winger John Robertson has passed away at the age of 72.

Robertson scored the only goal in the 1980 European Cup final when Forest beat Hamburg and delivered the cross for Trevor Francis' winning goal the previous season when Brian Clough's side lifted the trophy for the first time against Mälmo.

A statement from Nottingham Forest on X said: "We are heartbroken to announce the passing of Nottingham Forest legend and dear friend, John Robertson. A true great of our club and a double European Cup winner, John's unrivalled talent, humility and unwavering devotion to Nottingham Forest will never ever be forgotten."

Born in Viewpark, Uddingston, Robertson joined Forest in 1970 but was on the transfer list when Clough arrived in 1975. However, he would become a key player for the iconic manager, playing 243 consecutive games between December 1976 and December 1980 with Clough describing the mercurial winger as "a Picasso of our game."

With Forest he also won the first and second division titles, the UEFA Super Cup, two English League Cup medals, the 1978 FA Charity Shield and the Anglo-Scottish Cup. Robertson left Forest for Derby in 1983 before returning to the City Ground for a second spell two years later. In 2015, Robertson topped a poll by the Nottingham Post newspaper of favourite all-time Forest players.

Robertson earned 28 caps for Scotland, scoring eight times including a goal in the 5-2 victory over New Zealand at the 1982 World Cup finals, having also scored the winning penalty against England at Wembley Stadium the previous summer.

Robertson also enjoyed success as assistant to former Forest team-mate Martin O'Neill, first at Wycombe, then Leicester City, where they won the English League Cup, before a successful spell north of the border with Celtic. Together they led the Hoops to three Scottish Premier League titles, three Scottish Cup triumphs, a Scottish League Cup as well as reaching the 2003 UEFA Cup final before eventually losing 3-2 in extra time to José Mourinho's Porto in Seville. Robertson's partnership with O'Neill continued at Aston Villa, where they reached the 2010 English League Cup final, before he retired from coaching.