441: James Wright Robertson 1929-2015

The 441st player to appear for the Gunners, James Wright Robertson made only one senior appearance but was a regular in the reserves during Tom Whittaker’s reign as manager.

The Arsenal obituaries

Jimmy Robertson was born in Falkirk on 20 February 1929 and began playing for Dunipace Thistle at the age of 14. He joined Arsenal from Dunipace 0n 5 June 1948 as an outside left.

He made just a single appearance for Arsenal away at West Bromwich Albion on 21 April 1952 in the penultimate league match of the 1951-52 season. He appeared at left wing in place of the injured Don Roper but the 1-3 loss ended Arsenal’s hopes of winning the League Championship, ultimately finishing third.

Robertson also made 108 appearances for the Gunners’ reserve team scoring 23 times, and also appeared in 19 A team matches scoring four goals. He was unlucky to miss out on a Football Combination title in 1950-51 due to injury.

While at Arsenal he spent two years in the Royal Artillery serving his National Service, where he represented the British Army football team on a number of occasions. He moved on to Brentford in part exchange for Tommy Lawton on 18 September 1953 and enjoyed three seasons of regular first-team football playing 85 first team games until the close season of 1956.

He was then signed by his former Arsenal colleague Lionel Smith, who was Gravesend & Northfleet manager. Robertson was a member of the team that won the Southern League title in 1957-58. In all he played over 200 times for the Kent team before a broken leg suffered at Folkestone in February 1961 ended his playing career.

Jimmy Robertson passed away aged 86 in Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire, on 11 June 2015

Sources

Soccer History 36

Fred Ollier: Arsenal FC: The Complete Record

Brentford FC

Ebbsfleet FC

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