Bobby Murdoch
Encyclopedia
Bobby Murdoch 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 and Bertie Auld
formed Celtic's central midfield.
Brought up in Rutherglen, he lived there for most of his life and attended St. Columbkillle's Primary school in Rutherglen, before moving to Our Lady's High Secondary in Motherwell. During his time at Celtic, he won eight Scottish League titles, four Scottish Cup
s and five League Cup
s, as well as the European Cup medal. He also played in the 1970 European Cup
Final, when Celtic lost 2–1 to Feyenoord.
His later years with Celtic were marked with injury problems but 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".
He left Celtic in 1973, and joined Middlesbrough
, as Jack Charlton
's first signing, and tutored the young Graeme 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. 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 was survived by Kathleen, his wife since 1964.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
professional footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who played for Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
and was one of the Lisbon Lions
Lisbon Lions
The Lisbon Lions is the nickname given to the Celtic team that won the European Cup at the Estádio Nacional in Lisbon, Portugal on 25 May 1967, defeating Internazionale 2–1. All the members of this team were born within 30 miles of Glasgow, Scotland. Celtic's style was the antithesis of the...
, the Celtic team who won the European Cup
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
in 1967. He and Bertie Auld
Bertie Auld
Robert "Bertie" Auld is a Scottish former football player and manager, perhaps most notable as a member of Celtic's Lisbon Lions side of 1967. As a player, he made more than 200 appearances in the Scottish League playing for Celtic, Dumbarton and Hibernian, and more than 100 in the Football League...
formed Celtic's central midfield.
Brought up in Rutherglen, he lived there for most of his life and attended St. Columbkillle's Primary school in Rutherglen, before moving to Our Lady's High Secondary in Motherwell. During his time at Celtic, he won eight Scottish League titles, four Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
s and five League Cup
Scottish League Cup
The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
s, as well as the European Cup medal. He also played in the 1970 European Cup
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
Final, when Celtic lost 2–1 to Feyenoord.
His later years with Celtic were marked with injury problems but his importance to the success of a great Celtic team was such that when Jock Stein
Jock Stein
John 'Jock' Stein CBE was a Scottish association football player and manager. He became the first manager of a British side to win the European Cup, with Celtic in 1967...
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
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
, as Jack Charlton
Jack Charlton
John "Jack" Charlton, OBE, DL is a former footballer and manager who played for Leeds United in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, and was part of the England team who won the 1966 World Cup...
's first signing, and tutored the young Graeme Souness
Graeme Souness
Graeme James Souness is a Scottish former professional football player and manager.Souness was the captain of the successful Liverpool team of the early 1980s and player-manager of Rangers in the late 1980s as well as captain of the Scottish national team. He also played for Tottenham Hotspur,...
. 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
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
for the Scotland national team
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
, 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. In his last years he had a role helping at Celtic Park
Celtic Park
Celtic Park is a football stadium in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which is the home ground of Celtic FC. Celtic Park, an all-seater stadium with a capacity of 60,832, is the largest football stadium in Scotland and the sixth-largest stadium in the United Kingdom, after Murrayfield, Old Trafford,...
with match-day hospitality.
He died, aged 56, following a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
, in the Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow. He was survived by Kathleen, his wife since 1964.