- Bobby Murdoch
Football player infobox
playername = Bobby Murdoch
fullname = Robert Murdoch
dateofbirth = 17 August 1944
cityofbirth =Glasgow
countryofbirth =Scotland
dateofdeath = Death date and age|df=yes|2001|5|15|1944|8|17
cityofdeath =Glasgow
countryofdeath =Scotland
position = Midfield
years = 1959-1973
1973-1976
clubs = Celtic
Middlesbrough
caps(goals) =
manageryears = 1981-1982
managerclubs = Middlesbrough
nationalyears = 1965-1969
nationalteam = Scotland
nationalcaps(goals) = 12 (6)Robert "Bobby" Murdoch (17 August 1944 – 15 May 2001) was a Scottish professional footballer who played for Celtic and was one of the
Lisbon Lions , the Celtic team who won the European Cup in 1967. He andBertie Auld formed Celtic's brilliant central midfield.During his time at Celtic, he won eight Scottish League titles, four
Scottish Cup s and five League Cups, as well as the European Cup medal. He also played in the 1970 European Cup Final, when Celtic lost 2-1 toFeyenoord . His later years with Celtic were marked with injury problems but his importance to the success of a great Celtic team was such that whenJock Stein was asked when he thought Celtic might win the European Cup again he replied "when Bobby Murdoch is fit"He left Celtic in 1973, and joined Middlesbrough, as
Jack Charlton 's first signing, and tutored the youngGraeme Souness . He made 125 appearances for Middlesbrough before his retirement from active play in 1976. He then took up the role of juniors' coach.He won a total of 12 caps for the Scotland national team, scoring 6 goals.
He had a brief, unsuccessful, spell as manager of Middlesbrough between 1981 and 1982, ending with his departure shortly after the club were relegated to Division Two. His job at Middlesbrough had been made difficult by the fact that the club had sold star players such as Craig Johnston, David Armstrong and Mark Proctor, leaving a badly weakened squad. Of those signings made, only Dutch midfielder Heini Otto proved successful.
Murdoch then had an unsuccessful spell as a publican that ended in debt but in his last years he had a role helping at
Celtic Park with match-day hospitality.He died, aged 56, following a
stroke , in the Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow. He is one of the Celtic greats. The best book written about Murdoch is "Bobby Murdoch, Different Class" by David Potter, Empire Publishing 2003.External links
* [http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/bob.dunning/obit13.htm Obituary]
* [http://www.nobok.co.uk/Football/Legends/Other/Bobby%20Murdoch.aspx Nobok.co.uk profile]
* [http://www.sportcartoons.co.uk/celticfc4.html Caricature of Bobby Murdoch]
*SFA Profile|id=113565|name=Bobby Murdoch
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