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When Robert Isaac made his full debut for Chelsea in a match at Watford
in March 1985, it was a triumph over adversity for the gutsy 19-year-old
who just five months earlier had been the innocent victim of a
horrendous stabbing incident outside Millwall's stadium prior to a
League Cup clash between the London rivals. Slashed from shoulder to
waist, it was reported that only the thickness of his leather jacket
saved his life, so it was with some pride that the Chelsea supporters
welcomed him on board for the Vicarage Road clash, which the Blues won
3-1.
A steady, reliable centre-half and occasional full-back, Robert did
little wrong during his time in the Chelsea first-team, but was
unfortunate to play for the club at a time when Colin Pates, Joe
McLaughlin and, a little later, Steve Wicks, were all demonstrating
their considerable talents at the heart of the defence. His three league
appearances the following term came at home to illustrious opponents:
Arsenal (a 2-1 win) and Manchester United (a 2-1 defeat), and in a 2-0
victory at Ipswich, and in all three games he demonstrated a cool head
and no little talent as he dealt admirably with some of the country's
premier strikers, but it wasn't until the following campaign that he was
given anything resembling a run in the team.
Returning to a rudderless
side who were on a downward spiral courtesy of a pitiful management team
and an outbreak of dissent from within the ranks, Robert's five
consecutive league appearances in the late-autumn of 1986 resulted in
three draws and two defeats, the last of which was a shambolic 4-0 home
trouncing by Wimbledon. Wimbledon's cause was aided in no small part
that day by Doug Rougvie, who was recklessly sent-off within the first
ten minutes for head-butting John Fashanu, but as happened so often
during John Hollins' managerial tenure, it was the inexperienced, young
player who was made to suffer, and Robert was immediately dropped.
Sadly, he failed to reappear in the first-team, and was eventually
allowed to join Brighton and Hove Albion on a free-transfer in February
1987. (Kelvin Barker)
Isaac made 30 league appearances for Brighton before retiring from the game
and he became a personal assistant for a well known racing family.
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