Willie Robertson is assured his place in Scottish Cup folklore.
Part of arguably the greatest Scottish Cup upset of all time.
The man who crossed the ball for Jordan Kirkpatrick to fire home Darvel’s winner against Aberdeen.
However, Robertson’s road to Recreation Park has been anything but serene. In the afterglow of Monday’s soaring high, he can afford to reflect on prior lows, safe in the knowledge that he has emerged happy and healthy.
Snapped up by the Dundee United academy in 2009, the classy midfielder was considered a precocious young talent. He had the energy, the passing range and an eye for goal.
However, living in digs — 80 miles away from his home in Glasgow — Robertson found himself battling demons.
“I had a really bad gambling addiction,” Robertson tells Courier Sport. “I was a shambles, to be honest. If it wasn’t for Claire, I don’t know where I would be. It’s not worth thinking about.”
Claire is Robertson’s wife and very much the heroine of his story.
“My missus used to finish work in Glasgow, then drive to Dundee and make sure I went to GA (Gambler’s Anonymous).
“The stories hit hard. Some had remortgaged houses or sold their businesses to pay debts. I thought to myself: “If I don’t sort this out now, then I could end up like that”. Or six feet under.”
The penny dropped after the manager of a Dundee bookmakers was alerted to the amount of time Robertson was spending in the store. Fruit machines and horse racing, rather than football, were his poison.
When it became apparent he was a young player with United, it was flagged.
“I didn’t personally come out and say, ‘I want to stop’. I got caught,” Robertson recalls. “That was probably the best thing that could have happened to me.
“I’d finish training at 1pm and didn’t need to be in digs until 6pm. When I got my own flat after going full-time at United, it got even worse. I had no-one to tell me where to be, so I’d be in the bookies until 9pm.”
Support
Robertson hasn’t placed a bet for nine years.
He could make a decent starting 11 of current and ex-players to whom he is forever grateful. Best friend and current Darvel teammate Darryl Meggatt is first and foremost.
Ex-Motherwell player Kevin Twaddle, who has been candid regarding his own battles with addiction, was a totem of strength.
Willo Flood, Sean Dillon, Michael Gardyne and Jon Daly are all mentioned as nurturing, supportive influences.
Former United midfielder John Rankin, however, went the extra mile, in a very real sense.
“John was brilliant with me,” he continued. “To this day, I still speak to him.
“I used to travel with him and he was actually the one who took me down the road and made sure I told my missus about my addiction, so I could get it sorted. I’ll always be grateful to the good-hearted people.”
Upon leaving United in 2013, Robertson had a trial with Rochdale. Despite conceding his “head wasn’t right”, his visible potential saw him offered a contract.
He turned it down.
The presence of his erstwhile United coach Graeme Liveston at Alloa resulted in Robertson being convinced to drop to part-time level. Able to pursue avenues away from football, he began down a path which now sees him own a transport company.
“I had a few full-time offers after leaving United but I didn’t like the fact you had so much time on your hands,” he said candidly. “After doing a shift on the vans, I enjoyed finishing at 6pm and being exhausted. I had no time to think about gambling.”
Darvel delight
Spells with Stirling Albion and Annan Athletic followed.
Another full-time offer came from Gateshead. Again, he turned it down.
And to say Robertson has found a renewed love for football at Darvel would be something of an understatement.
Boss Mick Kennedy tempted him out of another career hiatus and, as saccharine as it may sound, Robertson has found a family at Recreation Park.
Recalling Kennedy’s pitch to sign him back in 2019, Robertson smiles: “I told him, ‘not a chance, I hate football’. I had left Stirling Albion and hadn’t played in four months.
“He asked me what it would take and I told him I didn’t even want to talk about money. If he could get me enjoying football again, then I’ll be interested.
“From that day, I’ve loved every minute.
“I look around our dressing room — and I hang about with these guys. They come over to my house; our kids play together on a Sunday.
“Every Tuesday and Thursday, I turn up and play football with my mates, and we work for each other. I think everyone could see that on Monday. Maybe that was the difference between the teams.”
That drive and determination is further underlined by the fact Robertson missed the vast majority of last season following a heart scare.
Hospitalised for 12 days, there were serious doubts over whether he would ever play again.
Never mind that, “they didn’t know if I’d be able to lift a fridge”, laughs Robertson, considering the impact on his day job.
‘100 yards onside’
His recovery — eight months on the sidelines, in total — has been laudable and complete, allowing him to play his part in a performance that had plenty of class and composure to go with the guts and gumption.
If you've calmed down… WHY ON EARTH HAVE YOU DONE THAT?! 🔥
🎥 @16lewissmith pic.twitter.com/kQbzPLWX6w
— Darvel FC (@darvelfc) January 24, 2023
And when a little bit of fortune was required, Lady Luck intervened with an Aberdeen leveller erroneously ruled out for offside.
Robertson laughs: “Aye, that was about 100 yards onside! I guess when it’s your night, it’s your night.”
Monday was most certainly Darvel’s night and, after a tumultuous ride, one for Robertson and his family to savour.
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