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John Robson was playing youth team football in his native North East of
England when Derby County assistant manager Peter Taylor arrived to
assess his worth. The shrewd talent spotter obviously liked what he saw
and in October 1967 the seventeen year old left back found himself at
the Baseball Ground on a full time contract. Although he did not make
his first team debut until March 1968, Robson settled quickly and marked
his arrival in the side with a goal on the last day of the 1968/69
season; a 25 yard shot in a 3-1 home reversal against Blackpool. The
signing of Dave Mackay had a remarkable effect on the fortunes of Derby
County. The former Tottenham stalwart added experience to the raw
enthusiasm of Robson and centre half Roy McFarland and the effect was
immediate; County cruised to the 1968/69 Second Division championship
crown after losing just five league games. John learned quickly from the
barked instructions of the irrespressible Mackay and remained an ever
present in the championship side, displaying a maturity well beyond his
years. Rather than having a reputation of a big tackler, John based his
game on consistency of performance, a factor that stood him in good
stead as the "Rams" enjoyed a magnificent first season back in the First
Division, finishing in fourth place.
Some of the biggest and best clubs
in the country were humiliated on the mud laden Baseball Ground
surface. Tottenham were thrashed 5-0 in front of a record crowd of more
than 41000, Liverpool suffered a similar fate on a 4-0 scoreline; even
the mighty Manchester United lost 2-0 on their visit to the East
Midlands. Although County started the following season well seven
defeats in September and October put paid to their title aspirations,
although an end of campaign revival resulted in a ninth place final
standing. John made thirty-five appearances including one as as a
substitute, temporarily falling out of favour following the arrival of
the versatile Colin Todd from Sunderland. When Mackay moved to Swindon
Town in the summer of 1971, County reorganised with Todd linking with
McFarland at the centre of defence and Robson reinstated as the clubs
first choice left back. An unbeaten opening twelve game sequence set the
tone for the1971/72 season, the "Rams" eventually winning the title by
one point from Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester City. Amazingly by modern
standards, Derby used just sixteen players over the forty-two game
league schedule.
Their defence was magnificent almost throughout,
returning twenty-three clean sheets and conceding three or more goals on
just three occassions. John missed just one game and added a couple of
important goals as well. He scored in a 2-0 away win at nearest rivals
Nottingham Forest and also tallied the only strike of the game at home
to Coventry City. County also progressed to the fifth round of the FA
Cup competition, eventually going out 1-0 to Arsenal in a fifth round
second replay game. In the previous round they thrashed Notts County 6-0
at home with John netting one of his sides six markers they scored
without reply. A poor start to the 1972/73 season saw manager Brian
Clough back in the transfer market. He signed David Nish, another left
back, from Leicester City for a then British record transfer fee of
£225000. The move effectively marked the end of John's career at the
Baseball Ground; after the new man's arrival he appeared in just seven
more league matches. His final game was a 2-2 draw at home to Crystal
Palace on November 11th 1972. Soon afterwards John moved to Aston Villa
in a £90000 deal. In all he played 210 competitive games for the "Rams"
and additionally earned seven U23 international caps. Sadly John's Villa
career was ended prematurely in August 1978, at the age of 28, by
multiple sclerosis. (Mike Cockayne)
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