Robbo: The Game's Not Over Till The Fat Striker Scores

by John Robertson

John Robertson is a Hearts legend and one of the teams’ most prolific and popular strikers. His tally of 229 goals in 570 appearances is remarkable, with all but 15 of his goals scored for Heart of Midlothian Football Club. He is the club’s all-time record goal scorer in the league, with 214 goals to his name, and by far the most successful striker for the club in the modern era. Robbo’s uncanny knack of being in the right place at the right time and his sublime finishing have made him a football legend.

Now John Robertson tells his own story in his own words for the very first time. He tells how football became his passion as a young boy, how he got his big break, why he didn’t sign for Hearts’ arch-rivals Hibs and how they must have regretted that as he went on to score a record 27 goals in Edinburgh derby matches. His recollections include brilliant stories about Brian Clough, Wallace Mercer and the heartbreak of losing the league in the final eight minutes of the season, and take us up to the end of his playing days, including his time with Scotland. And he talks about his family in detail for the first time, and how his life changed forever when he lost his father to cancer at the age of just 14.

John Robertson’s story is a remarkable one, taking him from the back streets of Edinburgh to the hearts of fans as one of the greatest players ever to pull on the famous Jambo’s maroon jersey. It’s essential reading for Hearts fans and football fans everywhere.

293 pages, Hardcover

First published November 4, 2021

About the author

There is more than one author by this name on Goodreads

See also:
John Robertson*, football
John Robertson, indie games
John Robertson*, business, investing
John Robertson*, author "the Wanderer Rises"
John Robertson, politician, 1787-1873
John Robertson, philosophy
John Robertson, music biographies
John Robertson, history

An asterisk (*) indicates that this is a Goodreads author

Reviews

[Iain Lobban · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable read, but didn’t quite pack the kind of insight I’d originally hoped for, with a lot of chapter space reserved for fairly generic match reports which get a little repetitive after a while (though his photographic memory for those details is highly impressive).

For me, the book is at its best when Robbo recalls his various run-ins with Wallace Mercer, his relationships with the managers he served and more poignant memories of his late father. Although I felt the book would have benefited from more of that, this is still mandatory reading for any Hearts supporter.

[Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great wee read of John Robertson’s early years and then focusing on his time at Hearts between 1980 & 1998, all told by the great man himself.

I’ve met John a couple of times and always found him to be a very friendly & honest person and both of these qualities shine through in this book.

It was brilliant to read about personal achievements and what these mean to someone. My only quibble? Shorter chapters would have been better for me as I’m a slow reader so had to set aside at least an hour on each occasion I picked up the book - that’s on me though!

Go and pick this up if you’re a Hearts fan or fan of Scottish football in general and spend a few hours in the company of one of the best characters in the game,

[Paul Renwick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not a Hearts supporter but I’ve always been a fan of John Robertson. He always seemed like one of the game’s good guys with a stellar playing and managerial career.

My respect for John grew even larger after reading this book. The way that he was able to overcome the death of his father at such a young age and still have such an incredible career is a testament to his character.

The book also awakened childhood memories of players and games from the 1990s. This was all wrapped up in descriptions of Edinburgh that I remember well.

John is someone who lives his dream and you can sense that he really appreciates everyone that he has achieved and those who supported him.

[Iain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this, but then, expected to given Robbo is my all time favourite Hearts player.

Well worth a read for any Jambo, especially those who remember the 80s (I do a bit) and 90s (I do a lot!).

HMFC 💓

[Gordon Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read for all Hearts fans.

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant to read about 'Robbo'. He was a fantastic player to watch playing for Hearts. I'm glad I had the privilege of seeing him so many times. ❤️