This day 1944 - A vital member of Charlton Champions was born

[erimus74]

Robert White Murdoch player & future Boro manager, was born

Known as Bobby, a very much decorated Scottish footballer, capped 12 times at international level, he spent 14 seasons at Parkhead, winning 7 consecutive league titles, Scottish FAC & LC's, a member of the Lisbon lions when in 1967 Celtic became the 1st British team to win the European cup & two years later, Bobby was voted Scotland player of the year

Not long after big Jack took over at the Boro he attended a sportsman dinner & seated next to Jock Stein who listening to Jack Charltons plans he had at the Boro & a weakness in a certain area when Jock Stein told him he had the perfect player at Celtic, who was just kicking his heels in the reserves & if he's interested then he will set the ball rolling, within a couple of weeks of this sportsmans dinner Bobby, at 29 years of age, had signed for the Boro

15th September 1973 Bobby played his Boro game at Halifax in a north midland league game, a week later, on the 22nd Bobby made his official league debut in a 2nd division game a goaless draw away to Blackpool

Back then, Scottish folk would embark on Blackpool for a mini holiday when word got out that one of their idols was making his Boro debut that night a large contingent of Scottish fans boosted the attendance figures

He had a reputation as an attacking inside forward but not now as mobile as he was in his early days with Celtic was still as affective as he could just stand in the centre circle & just spray the ball all around the pitch to a colleague to just run on to, his passing was that good

29th September Bobbys home debut against top of the league Bristol City, seen him score his 1st Boro goal in a 2-0 win, a result that seen Boro go level with City & occupy top spot for the remainder of the season

17th September 1976, Bobby played his final Boro 1st team game when a fellow Scot, Tony McAndrew, became the youngest Boro player to score a 1st team hat trick in a 3-0 home win over Sheff Utd

1976 with his playing career now over Bobby joined the coaching staff at Ayresome Park as youth team coach & when John Neal resigned as manager in the summer 1981
Bobby applied for the position & in June 1981 was offered the managers job, his debut in the dugout couldnt have been made any harder when a talanted trio of Mark Proctor, Craig Johnston, the reason John Neal resigned & David Armstrong left the club

He basically struggled from day one seen us relegated in his 1st season  after 8 seasons in the top flight, our poor form then carried over in the 2nd division & on the 28th September 1982, almost 9 years to the day since his debut goal, we lost 4-1 at home to Grimsby Town, the writing was on the wall & Bobby was sadly dismissed

Between 1973-76 his Boro playing seen him score 7 goals in 115 games

As manager he was in charge for 54 games, winning 8

His managers role wasnt total failure as he handed debuts to two Boro icons in, Stephen Bell & Tony Mowbray, while signing talisman Dutchman Heine Otto & no nonsence, aggressive midfield terrier Mick Kennedy


post a pic

[BoroRedKen]

Obviously a guy who knew a talent when he saw it. Shame his management career was not successful. Maybe scouting was his forte after he finished playing?

Im sure i read Otto is a youth coach at Akpom's new club Ajax?


Great post G-Man

 

[TommyDickfingers]

One of my first Boro heroes was Heine Otto

Great info Erimus 😎

[Johnny Thunder]

Class info that Erimus.



 

[Nosmo-King]

He had no pace whatsoever- and didn't need it. His speed of thought and vision for a pass more than made up for it.

Has to be arguably the best free transfer we've ever had. The guy oozed class.

Privilege to see him play.

[TerryCochranesSocks]

I remember seeing him come out of the changing room under the North Stand with just a towel 'round his ample belly shouting "Where's the fucking shirts?"

[Johnny Thunder]

 

[erimus74]

Obviously a guy who knew a talent when he saw it. Shame his management career was not successful. Maybe scouting was his forte after he finished playing?

Im sure i read Otto is a youth coach at Akpom's new club Ajax?


Great post G-Man

 

Went with mrs erimus to Amsterdam a few years back & one of the trips organised was a visit to Ajaxs stadium

During the tour I asked the tour guides, bloke & woman, if they remember Heine Otto, of course they said, he trains the academy over at our training ground, a short two minutes walk from here & he'll be there this morning

After the tour we went to the training ground, if you think of the Riverside end to end that was the distance, when we got there we reported to a gatehouse & so I asked if I could meet HO & showed the security guard some photos of Heine of my phone & told her im from the Boro, she phoned Heine, he came out & met us, took us into their training complex for a coffee with the talisman himself, the youth players milling about,he was telling us about his time at the Boro, Bobby Murdoch, big Mal etc, his daughter was born here, he loved his time at the Boro, what a bloke, what a gent, could you imagine a big name player of today doing that

[AtomicDog]

Obviously a guy who knew a talent when he saw it. Shame his management career was not successful. Maybe scouting was his forte after he finished playing?

Im sure i read Otto is a youth coach at Akpom's new club Ajax?


Great post G-Man

 

Went with mrs erimus to Amsterdam a few years back & one of the trips organised was a visit to Ajaxs stadium

During the tour I asked the tour guides, bloke & woman, if they remember Heine Otto, of course they said, he trains the academy over at our training ground, a short two minutes walk from here & he'll be there this morning

After the tour we went to the training ground, if you think of the Riverside end to end that was the distance, when we got there we reported to a gatehouse & so I asked if I could meet HO & showed the security guard some photos of Heine of my phone & told her im from the Boro, she phoned Heine, he came out & met us, took us into their training complex for a coffee with the talisman himself, the youth players milling about,he was telling us about his time at the Boro, Bobby Murdoch, big Mal etc, his daughter was born here, he loved his time at the Boro, what a bloke, what a gent, could you imagine a big name player of today doing that

Great photo
Quality Lad I hope you showed  that


   

[Johnny Thunder]

What a story Erimus. That is excellent.


 

[TerryCochranesSocks]

Great story and a cracking photo.
Two top fellas!

[BoroRedKen]

Mr Otto saw straight away what we see in you Ermius and that is nothing but passion for your hometown club.

How have you never won a supporter of the year award or at least had some recognition for your support and knowledge beggars belief.

MFC too worried about appeasing a small percentage of fans rather than acknowledging the support of fans like yourself.

 

[BoroRedKen]

I put "Mr Otto" because i forgot how to spell "Heine"!!....


DOH!!!.....

 

[Westlane_rightwinger]

Delivered his paper. Bobby not Heine.

[erimus74]

Mr Otto saw straight away what we see in you Ermius and that is nothing but passion for your hometown club.

How have you never won a supporter of the year award or at least had some recognition for your support and knowledge beggars belief.

MFC too worried about appeasing a small percentage of fans rather than acknowledging the support of fans like yourself.

 

Cheers Ken, but there are many fans we have who show such passion, is the ones who tell you how go they are that dont have the passion