Bobby Murdoch
Personal information
Full name Robert White Murdoch[1]
Date of birth 17 August 1944
Place of birth Rutherglen, Scotland
Date of death 15 May 2001(2001-05-15) (aged 56)
Place of death Glasgow, Scotland
Position(s) Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1959–1973 Celtic 291 (61)
1959–1961 → Cambuslang Rangers (loan)
1973–1976 Middlesbrough 95 (6)
Total 386 (67)
International career
1964[2] Scotland under-23 1 (0)
1965–1969 Scotland 12 (6)
1965–1969 Scottish League XI 5 (0)
Managerial career
1981–1982 Middlesbrough
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Robert White Murdoch (17 August 1944 – 15 May 2001) was a Scottish professional footballer, who played as a midfielder for Celtic, Middlesbrough and Scotland. Murdoch was one of the Lisbon Lions, the Celtic team who won the European Cup in 1967. He later also managed Middlesbrough.

Club career

Celtic

Brought up in Rutherglen, he lived there for most of his life and attended local St. Columbkillle's Primary school (a classmate was Tommy McAvoy who went on to become the long-serving MP for the area),[3] before moving to Our Lady's High Secondary in Motherwell. Murdoch first joined Celtic in 1959, earning £3 per week as a part-time player while also being employed as a sheet-metal worker.[4] He played for junior club Cambuslang Rangers for two years to gain experience before joining Celtic as a full-time professional.[4]

Murdoch initially played for Celtic as an inside right, but only showed signs of being a reasonable performer in that position.[5] This was in a period where players were not well developed by Celtic due to a lack of quality coaching.[5] Jock Stein moved Murdoch to right half soon after he was appointed Celtic manager in 1965.[4] With that simple action, Murdoch was the first player to significantly benefit from Stein's arrival.[5] Playing in the deeper position allowed Murdoch to use his long passing ability more effectively.[5] He still continued to score a handful of goals a season, knocking in shots from cutbacks by Bertie Auld or Jimmy Johnstone.[5]

During his time at Celtic, he won eight Scottish League titles, four Scottish Cups and five League Cups, as well as the 1967 European Cup Final winners' medal.[5] Murdoch's shot was deflected by Stevie Chalmers to score Celtic's winning goal.[4][5][6] Murdoch also played in the 1970 European Cup Final, when Celtic lost 2–1 to Feyenoord. In total, he made over 500 appearances for Celtic and scored approximately 100 goals.[4]

His later years with Celtic were marked with injury problems, as Murdoch had difficulty maintaining his weight at a correct level.[5] His importance to the success of a great Celtic team was such that when Jock Stein was asked when he thought Celtic might win the European Cup again he replied "when Bobby Murdoch is fit". Stein also credited Murdoch with being "just about the best player I had as a manager".[4] Murdoch was voted Scottish player of the year in 1969 by the football writers.[4] Stein allowed Murdoch to leave the club because he had "run out of challenges" at Celtic.[4]

Middlesbrough

Murdoch left Celtic in 1973 and joined Middlesbrough on a free transfer as Jack Charlton's first signing.[7] He provided advice to the young Graeme Souness and the club was promoted to Division One in his first season there.[4] He made 125 appearances for Middlesbrough before his playing retirement in 1976.[4] Murdoch then took up the role of coaching Middlesbrough youth players.[4] He had a brief, unsuccessful, spell as manager of Middlesbrough between 1981 and 1982.[4] Murdoch left the club shortly after it was relegated to Division Two.[4] 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[8]

International career

Murdoch won a total of 12 caps for Scotland, having to compete for selection with Jim Baxter and then Billy Bremner among others.[5] His debut was in a 1–0 victory against Italy on 9 October 1965 during 1966 FIFA World Cup qualification. His first two international goals came in his second cap, a 4–1 British Home Championship victory against Wales in the same month. He scored six international goals in total, including the equaliser in a 1–1 draw against West Germany in 1970 FIFA World Cup qualification.[9][7]

Style of play

A physically strong player who originally started out as an inside right, Murdoch flourished as a playmaker in the midfield under the leadership of Celtic manager Jock Stein, with precise and accurate passings of the ball.

Fellow Celtic player Jim Craig noted Murdoch's influence on Celtic's efficiency as a team, stating: "When Bobby Murdoch played, Celtic played."[10]

Later life, death and legacy

Murdoch had an unsuccessful spell as a publican that ended in debt.[4] In 1995, Murdoch won a legal case in a Medical Appeal Tribunal that an ankle injury he had sustained playing for Celtic was an industrial injury, entitling him to compensation from the state.[11] In his last years he had a role helping at Celtic Park with match-day hospitality.[4]

He died, aged 56, following a stroke, in the Glasgow Victoria Infirmary. He was survived by Kathleen – his wife since 1964 – and by a daughter and two sons.[12] Murdoch was the first of the Lisbon Lions to die.[5] In 2016 his contribution was recognised with the unveiling of a plaque listing his achievements at the town hall in his hometown of Rutherglen; the ceremony was attended by family members, local dignitaries and former teammates.[3]

Murdoch's younger brothers Billy and James were also footballers; Billy was a reserve player at Celtic while Bobby played for Stenhousemuir and Kilmarnock. James aka Jimmy was also on Celtic's books as a youth before signing provisionally with Cardiff City, and played at Junior level for Cumbernauld United.[13][14]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[lower-alpha 1] League cup[lower-alpha 2] Continental Other[lower-alpha 3] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Celtic[15] 1962–63 Scottish Division One 194656200333414
1963–64 2615313073524421
1964–65 328609542315416
1965–66 3157211282005711
1966–67 314421029030578
1967–68 34610922041509
1968–69 30472815100508
1969–70 26550607120466
1970–71 23210804221385
1971–72 15461606000335
1972–73 24470732030437
1973–74 000010000010
Total 29161531384175411258507110
Middlesbrough[16] 1973–74 Second Division 34520300000395
1974–75 First Division 39141400000472
1975–76 22010600000290
Total 9567113000001157
Career total 38667601497175411258622117

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year[17]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Scotland 196532
196621
196710
196812
196951
Total126
Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Murdoch goal.
List of international goals scored by Bobby Murdoch[17][18]
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
124 November 1965Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland Wales1–04–11965–66 British Home Championship
23–1
316 November 1966Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland Northern Ireland1–12–11966–67 British Home Championship/Euro 1968 Qualifiers
411 December 1968GSP Stadium, Nicosia, Cyprus Cyprus2–05–01970 World Cup Qualifiers
54–0
616 April 1969Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland West Germany1–11–11970 World Cup Qualifiers

Honours

Celtic

Middlesbrough

Scotland

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "Bobby Murdoch". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  2. ↑ "Scotland U23 profile". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  3. 1 2 "Celtic legend Bobby Murdoch honoured at Rutherglen Town Hall". Daily Record. 17 October 2016. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 "Bobby Murdoch: An obituary". BBC Sport. BBC. 15 May 2001. Retrieved 2 December 2011.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Crampsey, Bob (16 May 2001). "Bobby Murdoch Wing-half with the Lisbon Lions who brought a true blend of strength and subtlety to his involvement in the beautiful game". The Herald. Herald & Times Group. Retrieved 2 December 2011.
  6. ↑ The Winning Touch: My Autobiography, Stevie Chalmers, Graham McColl; Hachette UK, 2012; ISBN 9780755363230
  7. 1 2 Obituary: Bobby Murdoch (The Guardian, 2001)
  8. ↑ Middlesbrough FC manager profile - Bobby Murdoch
  9. ↑ "Scotland - International Matches 1966-1970"
  10. ↑ Driving heart of the Lions; Hugh McIlvanney, The Sunday Times, May 20, 2001
  11. ↑ Simpson, Cameron (26 August 1995). "Lisbon Lion's compensation victory could open floodgates for former players Ex-footballer wins injury at work claim". The Herald. Herald & Times Group. Retrieved 2 December 2011.
  12. ↑ "Final farewells to Celtic great". BBC News. 18 May 2001. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
  13. ↑ Dykes, Paul John (2013). The Quality Street Gang. Celtic FC Ltd. ASIN B00GB86E0U.
  14. ↑ "1969 Transfers". Scottish football Historical Archive. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
  15. ↑ "Celtic player Bobby Murdoch". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
  16. ↑ "Bobby Murdoch, Middlesbrough matches". 11v11.com. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
  17. 1 2 "Scotland player Robert W. Murdoch". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
  18. ↑ "Scotland - International Matches 1966-1970". RSSSF. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
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