Robertson scored the only goal as Nottingham Forest retained the European Cup by beating Hamburg in 1980, having delivered the cross with which Trevor Francis scored the winning goal the previous season against Malmo.
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For Scotland, he scored the winning goal against England in 1981 and scored against New Zealand in the 1982 World Cup finals.
He earned 28 caps for his country before becoming assistant manager to former Forest team-mate Martin O’Neill with Wycombe Wanderers, Norwich City, Leicester City, Celtic and Aston Villa.
His 2012 biography, Supertramp, referenced Clough’s description of him as a “scruffy, inadequate, disinterested waste of time” whom he turned into “one of the best football throwers I have ever seen, as good as the Brazilians or the Italians.”
His Forest captain, John McGovern, described him as “like Ryan Giggs but with two good feet, not one” and with more skill.
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Trophies, goals and successful spells
Born in the Viewpark area of ​​North Lanarkshire, Robertson played for Drumchapel Amateurs and Scotland at youth level before joining Forest in May 1970, making his debut that same year.
Having been on the transfer list before Clough’s arrival in 1975, he became a key player under the iconic manager, appearing in 243 consecutive games between December 1976 and December 1980.
Robertson scored the winning goal from the penalty spot in the 1978 League Cup Final replay victory over Liverpool.
He was sold to Derby in 1983 for a controversial transfer fee, a move that soured the relationship between Clough and his former assistant, Peter Taylor.
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An early injury hampered Robertson’s progress in the county and despite rejoining Forest in 1985, he never regained the same form and moved on to Corby Town, Stamford and then non-league Grantham Town.
At Forest he also won the First and Second Division titles, the UEFA Super Cup, two Football League Cups, the 1978 FA Charity Shield and the Anglo-Scottish Cup.
And in 2015, Robertson topped a Nottingham Post poll of Forest’s favorite players of all time.
As O’Neill’s assistant, Robertson helped Wycombe win promotion from the Football Conference and Third Division, and promotion to the top tier with Leicester, as well as the League Cup.
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An even more successful spell with Celtic followed.
In Glasgow they won the Scottish Premier League three times, the Scottish Cup three times, the League Cup once and reached the UEFA Cup final.
Then, in Robertson’s final season as manager in 2010, Villa finished runners-up in the League Cup final.