Fisher, Robert

Personal

Fullname: Robert Fisher
aka: Bobby Fisher
Born: 9 July 1919
Died: […]
Birthplace: New Herrington
Signed: 7 April 1942
Left: 23 Oct 1942 (free); 1946 (Eppleton CW)
Position: Centre-Forward
Debut: Partick Thistle 1-3 Celtic, Regional League, 6 Apr 1942 (scored once)
Internationals: N/A

Biog

Durham-born soldier Robert Fisher was a centre-forward who signed for the Bhoys from the Royal Engineers in April 1942. In the Durham County League he had shown as an amateur player: “strength, speed, promise“.

In his war effort he was with the BEF in France and was evacuated from Saint-Nazaire in 1940. He was recommended by a Sergeant McGuckin.

The small but strong Fisher made a scoring debut in a 3-1 Regional League win at Partick Thistle on 6th April 1942, his goal coming just after 30 seconds. He got signed as a professional by Celtic straight after, but it was to be a short stint at Celtic.

Celtic chairman Tom White said of him:

“as worth every penny of the patronage“.

After a 2-0 victory over Third Lanark in April 1942 in the Glasgow Charity Cup, it was said of him:

“[Robert Fisher is] a grand distributor, fast and with a hook shot that is disconcerting to goalkeepers”.

Despite those words, it was a terrible time to be at Celtic, the first team was at amongst their worst ever with poor leadership, boardroom meddling and outside influences hampering the club in favour of others across the city.

Bobby Fisher was involuntary part of a strike by players before a League Cup semi-final v Rangers on 2 May 1942. They ended up gathering in St Enoch’s Square only to be told there would be no complementaries for their guests and they must pay like the rest at the turnstiles. It was also about bonus money for being in the semi-finals. Reluctant to get changed before the match, the players acquiesced once cigar chomping Chairman White came down.

He would only make a further two appearances in the senior competitions but did play further matches in other minor tournaments such as four games in the Summer Cup (1942) and the Charity Cup. Celtic didn’t achieve anything in these post-season tournaments.

Army duties saw him leave Parkhead just six months after arriving, where he left for Gibraltar spending 1.5 years there, but his registration there was cancelled just as the Battle of Alamein was to begin. He followed the troops ashore in Europe in June 1944.

After the war, he played for Eppleton CW and then for West Auckland.