Full-back Robert Craig was a highly rated junior when he came to Celtic from the Vale of Garnock Strollers in May 1906 as a trialist. The Celtic Wiki takes up Robert Craig’s story…
He was signed up after travelling to the Highlands with the Celtic first team in the summer of 1906. Notably, it is said that he was the butt of a practical joke by Peter Somers and others to ask the curmudgeon manager Willie Maley for an exorbitant signing on fee.
Willie Maley is said to have looked ‘Thunderstruck’ but still took him on; Maley may simply have liked him as his petulance was rewarded with the acceptance of his signature and a three-year career with the Celts.
The defender made his competitive Celtic debut in a 6-0 Scottish League triumph at Motherwell on 18 August 1906. However Beith-born Bobby Craig struggled to make a significant impact at Celtic Park. This was not through any lack of ability but rather due to the fact he faced competition for a starting spot from the likes of Alec McNair and Willie Orr.
Although first team starts were rare Bobby Craig proved to be a dependable deputy and was a consistently solid stand-in. Celtic never lost a match he played in, and he helped Celtic to three league titles, albeit he only played one match in his second season and three matches in his third (final) season with Celtic.
In a friendly benefit match v Rangers on 16th Aug 1906 for ex-Scotland international Finlay Speedie, Bobby Craig had to go into goals after Davie Adams lacerated his hand due to a nail sticking out the posts in his goals.
One interesting claim to note is that he appeared in front of the newly-constituted SFA Council on 28th May 1909, charged in this case for kicking Leckie of Queen’s Park Strollers. He asked for leniency as he was moving south but was suspended for two weeks. A sore way to end his playing time at Celtic but not the fault of the club. He had made a total of 13 league appearances for the Hoops before moving south to join Brighton and Hove Albion in 1909.
Spells at various clubs – including Carlisle, Darlington, Renton and Abertillery – followed before Bobby Craig went to serve with the 5th Batallion of the South Wales Borderers in the First World War.
Sadly as Private 30450, he would die in Bolougne from battle wounds on 19th April 1918.
From Robert Hoskins’, Celtic Football Club and the Great War
“The final Celt to die in the Great War was Robert Craig who died on Friday 19th April 1918. Robert’s Celtic career spanned between 1906-09 where he appeared 13 times as full-back. Robert was a Private in the 5th Battalion of the South Wales Borderers (SWB) and lies buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery which was used as a hospital cemetery. Robert was wounded on the 11th April as the German’s re-captured the Belgian town of Messines, the scene of a British victory a year earlier. Ten SWB’s died that day and Robert was one of 38 wounded who were taken to hospital”.
He is buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, Plot 9, Row A, Grave 3.
