The family of former Woodside Primary School football coach and referee Archie Robertson have paid tribute to the man who became known affectionately as “Mister R”.
Mentor, coach, and unofficial team driver, Tullos-born Archie, who died aged 80 last month, gave 20 years to primary school football in Aberdeen.
Early years in Tullos and Torry
Archie Peat Robertson was born on September 7 1944.
Son of self-employed builder and slater George and wife Mabel, Archie and his twin sister Pat were the youngest of five children.
Raised in Kirkhill Road, Archie attended Tullos Primary School, then Torry Academy.
A keen football player from childhood, on leaving school Archie began working life as a grocery assistant in the Co-op in Torry. He later joined the merchant navy before returning home to begin a long and varied sales career.
Finding love ‘at the dancing’
In the late 60s Archie met department store window dresser Jennifer Murray.
Jennifer – or Jen as Archie called her – also hailed from Aberdeen but was attending a dance in Mintlaw when she and Archie met.
In October 1969 the pair married in High Church, Hilton, Aberdeen.
Their first home was on Froghall Terrace where they welcomed their first son, Barrie, in February 1972. The unusual spelling of his name was an homage to Archie, whose name also ended in an ‘ie’.
Soon outgrowing their flat, the family moved to Rosemount Viaduct in 1973.
When their second son Lee was born in October 1979 it would only be a few months before another house move, to Stewart Park Place in Hilton, not too far from Jen’s parents.
Sales jobs saw Archie travel the country
Archie found his career “fit” in the world of sales.
Initially starting with Don Box, a company manufacturing polystyrene containers for fish markets, he worked for several companies over the years, including Northsound Radio.
In his spare time Archie enjoyed playing darts and snooker. In the 1980s he became captain of the English Association Club snooker team, based in Belmont Street.
However, driving the length and breadth of the country for pharmaceutical sales roles was where Archie’s career flourished.
Promoted to senior sales positions, he was employed by Colgate-Palmolive, Whitehall Laboratories – then makers of Anadin, finishing his sales career for SmithKline Beecham, having won many awards such as salesman of the year.
“My dad could cover a territory from John O’ Groats all the way down to central Scotland. He’d drive around 25,000 miles a year, but always tried to get back to us each evening if he could.
“Some of my happiest memories are being in the car with him during summer holidays, travelling all over Scotland, chatting and listening to 80s and 90s music with him,” said Lee.
‘Mister R’ at the helm of Woodside Ghosties
Alongside his family and career, Archie became an “accidental” stalwart of primary school and junior football in Aberdeen.
“When my brother Barrie was at Woodside Primary the then teacher – Mr Howard – was running the football team. My dad offered to give him a hand,” Lee explained.
“One day he asked my dad to come in. The kids were all lined up. The next minute he handed my dad a whistle and said ‘well boys, this is your new manager.’ He smiled and walked back to his office.
“The rest is history, as they say. He was Mister Robertson in charge of the Woodside Ghosties from then on, for decades.”
Kindhearted Archie helped disadvantaged kids into football
Serving a community of mixed incomes and abilities, Archie was passionate about making the beautiful game as accessible as possible for generations of Woodside children.
“He’d regularly have kids tell him they’d love to play but, on some occasions, the families couldn’t afford to buy their children football boots.
“Dad would fundraise, and source sponsorships and donations, as much as he could.
“He’d ask all the kids to donate their old boots back to him when they’d outgrown them so he could clean them up until immaculate. Sometimes studs would be replaced too. Then they were given to the next person who needed them.
“Whatever he could do to help, he did it.
“This included a questionable amount of kids in the back of the car to get to matches at the other side of town,” laughed Lee. “It was before seatbelt laws though!”
Where there was football, there was Archie
Adding to his expertise, after many years officiating informally on the school circuit when Lee was 14, both he and Archie trained together, qualifying as referees.
“Back then primary school matches kicked off at 9.15am and 11am. There would be many Saturdays where Woodside would have an early kick-off, then dad and I would referee other primary matches at the later start time. A quick turnaround and we’d be back refereeing juvenile football games in the afternoon at the same location.
“Then do it all again on the Sunday,” said Lee. “He liked to keep going.”
And keep going he did. Woodside was under the tenure of Archie until the early 2000s, and he was still officiating at matches until 2020, after which he remained a life member of the Aberdeen and District Referees’ Association.
‘Archie was more than a coach… he was our mentor’
When news of Archie’s death was shared online tributes were added from his past pupils and football connections.
Stephen Watt wrote: “Archie was not just a coach with the football teams, but also a mentor to those Woodsiders who went into refereeing. Grateful for his guidance and support in my early refereeing days as part of Champion Street, Glendale tournament and others that he supported as a referee coordinator. A true gentleman.”
“Heaps of us have great memories playing for the Ghosties and we wouldn’t have those if your dad didn’t manage the team. To dedicate 20 years to it sums up how good a man he was,” added Steven Gabriel.
Neil Bowie added his sentiments too.
“So sorry for your loss folks. Archie was a huge part of mine and many other loons’ lives, who were just like me, growing up in Woodside. Sad day for us all.”
Family time was always Archie’s favourite
After Archie’s long sales career, he wasn’t quite ready for retirement.
He worked for a while as a private hire taxi driver and then as a messenger for Duncan and Todd Opticians. Going between branches, delivering glasses and contact lenses suited “people person” Archie who loved to be on the go, and who loved to meet and talk with new people.
His final role would be at Robert Gordon’s College where he acted as a break time monitor, keeping an eye on the children in the playground and lunch rooms.
When Archie finally stopped working in his 70s, he and Jennifer enjoyed holidays in the sun, and trips around Scotland together. An avid watcher of football, he was an early subscriber to “every sports package going”, and he relished time with his family.
Happy memories of music-loving dad
Archie was in good health “for his age” until a fall in May last year.
On Boxing Day, after spending time with his family, in-laws and granddaughter, he was admitted to hospital, but just a few days later began to deteriorate due to a worsening chest condition.
A move to Rosewell House followed. Archie’s final days were spent enjoying daily visits from his family. He died peacefully on Thursday, January 30.
The grandfather-of-three will be celebrated at a service on Monday, February 17 at Aberdeen Crematorium’s East Chapel.
A selection of his eclectic taste in music will be included.
“Being a huge 007 fan,” said Lee, “I have a great memory of him blaring out the James Bond 25th Anniversary cassette. Especially one of his favourite songs, You Only Live Twice by Nancy Sinatra. Or him pottering about singing or whistling Take That’s Rule the World.
“He was a man who knew what he wanted and how things should be done. He worked hard, and he did so much for us, and many others.
“It’s not a funeral as much as it will be a celebration of the life he led.
“I’m really going to miss him. We all are.”
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