Bobby Seith Player Profile

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Personal

  • Full Name: Robert Seith
  • Born: March 9th, 1932 (Coatbridge)

Career

  • Position: Right Half
  • Signed: July 28th, 1960
  • Date Left Club: April 30th, 1965
  • First Manager: Bob Shankly
  • Dundee Career Totals:
    197 first team competitive appearances
    5 first team competitive goals
  • Also Played For: Burnley


Dundee Career Summary

Competitive Friendlies
1960-61 41 2 1-
1961-62 46 2 - -
1962-63 46- - -
1963-64 52 1 - -
1964-65 12- - -
TOTAL 197 5 1-

NOTES:
Other Cups may include: Anglo-Scottish Cup, Challenge Cup, Cup Winners' Cup, Drybrough Cup, International Soccer League, League Cup, Summer Cup, Texaco Cup.


Biography

Not many players have the distinction of having won the league championship in both Scotland and England, but the Dundee team that clinched the title on the last day of the 1961/62 had one such individual in the shape of Bobby Seith.

Seith was born in Coatbridge in 1932 but it was with the English league team Burnley with which he first made his name, having caught the eye of their chief scout Jimmy Scott while playing junior football in Monifieth in 1948. The right half would quickly move through the club’s reserve team system, making his Burnley debut against Manchester United in 1953, winning the game 2-1.

A regular as Burnley slowly but surely put together a team capable of challenging for the title, Seith would turn out 27 times for The Clarets in 1959/60 as they won their first top flight title in some 40 years. However, it wasn’t quite such a happy occasion for Seith, having been dropped earlier in the season after a defensive blunder against Sheffield Wednesday, the midfielder would fall out with the club, refusing to even play him in the reserves for the rest of the campaign.

Burnley manager Bob Lord tried to offload Seith to Stoke and then Liverpool but the player resisted, while Lord returned the favour, refusing an approach from Blackpool for the player when they wouldn’t meet the asking price for Seith.

With Dundee showing interest in the player after he had asked The Dee’s manager Bob Shankly to join the club during training merely to keep himself fit, Seith took it upon himself to phone Lord and explain that if he didn’t let him head north to Dens Park that he would simply leave the game, having gained a chiropody qualification while doing his national service in the RAF medical corp. Lord reluctantly agreed, but in an act of petulance refused to have Seith awarded a league medal for his contributions during the championship winning season. Something that wouldn’t be put right until 1999 and as the player observed when talking to Uptheclarets.com… ‘Bob reflected: “As Jimmy McIlroy pointed out, it was worth the wait. While he and the rest of the team had their medals doled out by Bob Lord in the dressing room, I received mine in the middle of Turf Moor in front of 12,000 appreciative fans”.

Dundee would pay £7500 for Seith’s services, with the right half becoming a regular in the team that would finish an unspectacular 10th in Division One in 1960/61. Seith and his team-mates would, of course, go on to league glory the very next season and the player would also play an important role as Dundee reached the European Cup semi-final the next year. An occasion Seith firmly believed was snatched away from them by a ‘nobbled referee’ – a view shared by many.

Seith would stay at Dens until his retirement in 1964, moving onto the Dundee coaching staff, before taking up a similar role at Glasgow Rangers. He would, however, head south again in 1968, accepting the manager’s role at Preston North End, although the club were already in steep decline after their glory days. Relegation to the Third Division in 1970 prompted Seith’s departure but he immediately took on the top job at Heart of Midlothian.

Also going through a tough period at the time Sieth would improve Hearts’ fortunes and had them at the top of the First Division in 1973 after a thirteen game unbeaten run. A dip in form would see the team fail to even clinch a European spot at the end of the term and continued struggles the next season would see him leave the club.

Seith wouldn’t work with any other clubs but his knowledge and insight saw him become a regular football broadcaster for the BBC, a position he held for some 22 years while finally putting his chiropody qualifications to good use in Broughty Ferry.

A fine player who would achieve championship glory both north and south of the border, Bobby Seith would be inducted into the Dundee FC Hall Of Fame in 2012.

Debut

August 13th, 1960
Dundee 5 - 0 Raith Rovers

League Cup (Group 4)


Playing Statistics - First Team Competitive matches (All Seasons)


Competition NPS Win % Draw % Loss %
League 1345- --
European Cup 8-- --
Scottish Cup 14-- --
League Cup 30-- --
International Soccer League 5-- --
Summer Cup 6-- --
Totals: 1975- --

 Recent Starting Appearances (First Team Competitive matches)
 06/02/65 1st Round vs. St Johnstone (A) 0 - 1
 16/01/65 Division One vs. Motherwell (H) 4 - 2
 31/10/64 Division One vs. St Mirren (A) 2 - 0
 17/10/64 Division One vs. Kilmarnock (H) 1 - 3
 10/10/64 Division One vs. Falkirk (A) 2 - 4

 Recent Goals Scored (First Team Competitive matches)
 21/08/63 Division One vs. Rangers (H) 1 - 1
 06/03/62 Division One vs. Dunfermline (H) 1 - 2
 18/11/61 Division One vs. Raith Rovers (H) 5 - 4
 04/03/61 Division One vs. Dunfermline (H) 4 - 1
 24/09/60 Division One vs. Clyde (H) 4 - 1

 List of First Team Competitive matches played (click to expand)
 06/02/65 1st Round vs. St Johnstone (A)  0 - 1
 16/01/65 Division One vs. Motherwell (H)  4 - 2
 31/10/64 Division One vs. St Mirren (A)  2 - 0
 17/10/64 Division One vs. Kilmarnock (H)  1 - 3
 10/10/64 Division One vs. Falkirk (A)  2 - 4
 12/09/64 Division One vs. Dundee Utd (A)  4 - 1
 05/09/64 Division One vs. Aberdeen (H)  3 - 1
 22/08/64 Group 4 vs. Dundee Utd (A)  1 - 2
 19/08/64 Division One vs. Morton (A)  2 - 3
 15/08/64 Group 4 vs. Falkirk (H)  4 - 1
 12/08/64 Group 4 vs. Motherwell (A)  0 - 3
 08/08/64 Group 4 vs. Dundee Utd (H)  2 - 3
 20/05/64 Group 2 vs. St Johnstone (H)  5 - 1
 16/05/64 Group 2 vs. Aberdeen (A)  1 - 3
 13/05/64 Group 2 vs. Dundee Utd (H)  3 - 3
 09/05/64 Group 2 vs. St Johnstone (A)  2 - 2
 06/05/64 Group 2 vs. Aberdeen (H)  1 - 0
 01/05/64 Group 2 vs. Dundee Utd (A)  0 - 0
 29/04/64 Division One vs. Falkirk (A)  2 - 0
 25/04/64 Final vs. Rangers (N)  1 - 3
 04/04/64 Division One vs. Kilmarnock (H)  2 - 1
 01/04/64 Division One vs. Celtic (A)  1 - 2
 28/03/64 Semi Final vs. Kilmarnock (N)  4 - 0
 21/03/64 Division One vs. Hearts (H)  2 - 4
 18/03/64 Division One vs. Airdrie (1878-2002) (A)  1 - 3
 11/03/64 Quarter Final Replay vs. Motherwell (A)  4 - 2
 07/03/64 Quarter Final vs. Motherwell (H)  1 - 1
 29/02/64 Division One vs. St Mirren (H)  9 - 2
 22/02/64 Division One vs. Dunfermline (H)  2 - 1
 19/02/64 Division One vs. Hibernian (H)  3 - 0
 15/02/64 3rd Round vs. Forfar (H)  6 - 1
 08/02/64 Division One vs. Motherwell (A)  2 - 2
 01/02/64 Division One vs. Queen of South (H)  6 - 2
 25/01/64 2nd Round vs. Brechin City (A)  9 - 2
 18/01/64 Division One vs. East Stirling (A)  5 - 1
 11/01/64 1st Round vs. Forres Mech (A)  6 - 3
 04/01/64 Division One vs. Third Lanark (H)  6 - 0
 02/01/64 Division One vs. Dundee Utd (A)  1 - 2
 01/01/64 Division One vs. Aberdeen (H)  1 - 4
 28/12/63 Division One vs. Rangers (A)  1 - 2
 21/12/63 Division One vs. Falkirk (H)  4 - 3
 14/12/63 Division One vs. Partick (A)  0 - 2
 07/12/63 Division One vs. Kilmarnock (A)  1 - 1
 30/11/63 Division One vs. Celtic (H)  1 - 1
 23/11/63 Division One vs. Hearts (A)  3 - 1
 16/11/63 Division One vs. St Johnstone (A)  6 - 1
 09/11/63 Division One vs. Airdrie (1878-2002) (H)  4 - 0
 02/11/63 Division One vs. St Mirren (A)  1 - 2
 26/10/63 Division One vs. Dunfermline (H)  2 - 1
 19/10/63 Division One vs. Hibernian (A)  4 - 0
 12/10/63 Division One vs. Motherwell (H)  1 - 3
 05/10/63 Division One vs. Queen of South (A)  5 - 0
 28/09/63 Division One vs. East Stirling (H)  3 - 1
 21/09/63 Division One vs. Third Lanark (A)  2 - 1
 18/09/63 Quarter Final 2nd Leg vs. Hibernian (A)  0 - 2
 14/09/63 Division One vs. Dundee Utd (H)  1 - 1
 07/09/63 Division One vs. Aberdeen (A)  4 - 2
 31/08/63 Group 3 vs. Dunfermline (A)  4 - 3
 28/08/63 Group 3 vs. Airdrie (1878-2002) (A)  1 - 4
 24/08/63 Group 3 vs. Third Lanark (H)  3 - 2
 21/08/63 Division One vs. Rangers (H)  1 - 1
 17/08/63 Group 3 vs. Dunfermline (H)  4 - 1
 14/08/63 Group 3 vs. Airdrie (1878-2002) (H)  2 - 1
 10/08/63 Group 3 vs. Third Lanark (A)  2 - 1
 25/05/63 Division One vs. Rangers (H)  0 - 0
 18/05/63 Division One vs. Falkirk (A)  2 - 0
 16/05/63 Division One vs. Dunfermline (H)  1 - 0
 11/05/63 Division One vs. Kilmarnock (A)  0 - 1
 06/05/63 Division One vs. Hearts (H)  2 - 2
 01/05/63 Semi Final 2nd Leg vs. Milan (H)  1 - 0
 27/04/63 Division One vs. Raith Rovers (H)  1 - 1
 24/04/63 Semi Final 1st Leg vs. Milan (A)  1 - 5
 20/04/63 Division One vs. Motherwell (A)  1 - 2
 15/04/63 Division One vs. Dundee Utd (H)  1 - 2
 13/04/63 Division One vs. St Mirren (H)  5 - 1
 08/04/63 Division One vs. Hibernian (H)  1 - 3
 05/04/63 Division One vs. Queen of South (A)  0 - 1
 03/04/63 Quarter Final Replay vs. Rangers (A)  2 - 3
 30/03/63 Quarter Final vs. Rangers (H)  1 - 1
 23/03/63 Division One vs. Celtic (A)  1 - 4
 18/03/63 3rd Round vs. Hibernian (H)  1 - 0
 16/03/63 Division One vs. Partick (H)  2 - 1
 13/03/63 Quarter Final 2nd Leg vs. Anderlecht (H)  2 - 1
 09/03/63 Division One vs. Airdrie (1878-2002) (A)  0 - 1
 06/03/63 Quarter Final 1st Leg vs. Anderlecht (A)  4 - 1
 05/02/63 2nd Round vs. Montrose (H)  8 - 0
 12/01/63 1st Round vs. Caledonian (A)  5 - 1
 05/01/63 Division One vs. Clyde (A)  2 - 3
 24/11/62 Division One vs. Third Lanark (A)  3 - 4
 17/11/62 Division One vs. Celtic (H)  0 - 0
 10/11/62 Division One vs. Partick (A)  0 - 1
 03/11/62 Division One vs. Airdrie (1878-2002) (H)  2 - 1
 31/10/62 1st Round 2nd Leg vs. Sporting Lisbon (H)  4 - 1
 27/10/62 Division One vs. Dunfermline (A)  0 - 2
 24/10/62 1st Round 1st Leg vs. Sporting Lisbon (A)  0 - 1
 20/10/62 Division One vs. Kilmarnock (H)  1 - 0
 13/10/62 Division One vs. Hibernian (A)  2 - 2
 06/10/62 Division One vs. Falkirk (H)  2 - 1
 29/09/62 Division One vs. Rangers (A)  1 - 1
 26/09/62 Preliminary Round 2nd Leg vs. Cologne (A)  0 - 4
 22/09/62 Division One vs. Clyde (H)  2 - 0
 15/09/62 Division One vs. Dundee Utd (A)  1 - 1
 08/09/62 Division One vs. Aberdeen (H)  2 - 2
 05/09/62 Preliminary Round 1st Leg vs. Cologne (H)  8 - 1
 01/09/62 Group 2 vs. Hearts (A)  0 - 2
 29/08/62 Group 2 vs. Celtic (A)  0 - 3
 25/08/62 Group 2 vs. Dundee Utd (H)  2 - 1
 22/08/62 Division One vs. Hearts (A)  1 - 3
 18/08/62 Group 2 vs. Hearts (H)  0 - 2
 15/08/62 Group 2 vs. Celtic (H)  1 - 0
 16/06/62 Section 1 vs. America (H)  2 - 3
 10/06/62 Section 1 vs. Palermo (H)  1 - 1
 03/06/62 Section 1 vs. Guadalajara (H)  3 - 2
 30/05/62 Section 1 vs. Hajduk Split (H)  3 - 3
 20/05/62 Section 1 vs. Reutlingen (H)  0 - 2
 28/04/62 Division One vs. St Johnstone (A)  3 - 0
 25/04/62 Division One vs. St Mirren (H)  2 - 0
 09/04/62 Division One vs. Dundee Utd (A)  2 - 1
 07/04/62 Division One vs. Airdrie (1878-2002) (A)  2 - 1
 31/03/62 Division One vs. Stirling Albion (A)  3 - 2
 24/03/62 Division One vs. Hibernian (H)  1 - 0
 17/03/62 Division One vs. Raith Rovers (A)  3 - 2
 14/03/62 Division One vs. Rangers (H)  0 - 0
 06/03/62 Division One vs. Dunfermline (H)  1 - 2
 03/03/62 Division One vs. Celtic (A)  1 - 2
 24/02/62 Division One vs. Partick (A)  0 - 3
 10/02/62 Division One vs. Motherwell (H)  1 - 3
 03/02/62 Division One vs. Kilmarnock (A)  1 - 1
 27/01/62 2nd Round vs. St Mirren (H)  0 - 1
 24/01/62 Division One vs. St Johnstone (H)  2 - 1
 20/01/62 Division One vs. Third Lanark (H)  2 - 1
 17/01/62 Division One vs. Aberdeen (H)  2 - 1
 13/01/62 Division One vs. Hearts (A)  2 - 0
 06/01/62 Division One vs. Falkirk (H)  2 - 1
 23/12/61 Division One vs. St Mirren (A)  1 - 1
 16/12/61 Division One vs. Airdrie (1878-2002) (H)  5 - 1
 02/12/61 Division One vs. Stirling Albion (H)  2 - 2
 25/11/61 Division One vs. Hibernian (A)  3 - 1
 18/11/61 Division One vs. Raith Rovers (H)  5 - 4
 11/11/61 Division One vs. Rangers (A)  5 - 1
 04/11/61 Division One vs. Celtic (H)  2 - 1
 28/10/61 Division One vs. Partick (H)  3 - 2
 21/10/61 Division One vs. Dunfermline (A)  2 - 1
 14/10/61 Division One vs. Motherwell (A)  4 - 2
 07/10/61 Division One vs. Kilmarnock (H)  5 - 3
 30/09/61 Division One vs. Third Lanark (A)  3 - 1
 23/09/61 Division One vs. Hearts (H)  2 - 0
 16/09/61 Division One vs. Aberdeen (A)  1 - 3
 09/09/61 Division One vs. Dundee Utd (H)  4 - 1
 02/09/61 Section 3 vs. Third Lanark (H)  2 - 2
 30/08/61 Section 3 vs. Rangers (H)  1 - 1
 26/08/61 Section 3 vs. Airdrie (1878-2002) (A)  5 - 0
 23/08/61 Division One vs. Falkirk (A)  3 - 1
 19/08/61 Section 3 vs. Third Lanark (A)  2 - 3
 16/08/61 Section 3 vs. Rangers (A)  2 - 4
 12/08/61 Section 3 vs. Airdrie (1878-2002) (H)  2 - 0
 29/04/61 Division One vs. Hearts (A)  1 - 2
 22/04/61 Division One vs. Motherwell (H)  2 - 2
 12/04/61 Division One vs. Airdrie (1878-2002) (A)  4 - 2
 08/04/61 Division One vs. Celtic (H)  0 - 1
 01/04/61 Division One vs. Partick (A)  2 - 2
 25/03/61 Division One vs. Ayr Utd (H)  6 - 1
 20/03/61 Division One vs. Hibernian (A)  0 - 1
 18/03/61 Division One vs. Third Lanark (A)  1 - 2
 08/03/61 Division One vs. St Mirren (H)  2 - 0
 04/03/61 Division One vs. Dunfermline (H)  4 - 1
 18/02/61 Division One vs. Kilmarnock (A)  1 - 2
 08/02/61 Division One vs. Rangers (H)  4 - 2
 21/01/61 Division One vs. St Johnstone (A)  1 - 1
 14/01/61 Division One vs. Clyde (A)  0 - 0
 07/01/61 Division One vs. Dundee Utd (H)  3 - 0
 02/01/61 Division One vs. Aberdeen (A)  1 - 2
 31/12/60 Division One vs. Raith Rovers (H)  2 - 3
 26/12/60 Division One vs. Celtic (A)  1 - 2
 24/12/60 Division One vs. Hearts (H)  2 - 2
 17/12/60 Division One vs. Motherwell (A)  0 - 2
 10/12/60 Division One vs. Airdrie (1878-2002) (H)  2 - 1
 26/11/60 Division One vs. Partick (H)  1 - 2
 19/11/60 Division One vs. Ayr Utd (A)  4 - 2
 12/11/60 Division One vs. Third Lanark (H)  0 - 2
 05/11/60 Division One vs. Hibernian (H)  0 - 1
 29/10/60 Division One vs. Dunfermline (A)  2 - 4
 15/10/60 Division One vs. Kilmarnock (H)  1 - 0
 08/10/60 Division One vs. Rangers (A)  1 - 0
 01/10/60 Division One vs. St Johnstone (H)  2 - 1
 24/09/60 Division One vs. Clyde (H)  4 - 1
 21/09/60 Quarter Final 2nd Leg vs. Rangers (H)  3 - 4
 17/09/60 Division One vs. Dundee Utd (A)  1 - 3
 14/09/60 Quarter Final 1st Leg vs. Rangers (A)  0 - 1
 10/09/60 Division One vs. Aberdeen (H)  3 - 3
 03/09/60 Group 4 vs. Aberdeen (H)  6 - 0
 31/08/60 Group 4 vs. Ayr Utd (H)  3 - 0
 27/08/60 Group 4 vs. Raith Rovers (A)  3 - 0
 24/08/60 Division One vs. Raith Rovers (A)  1 - 2
 20/08/60 Group 4 vs. Aberdeen (A)  4 - 1
 17/08/60 Group 4 vs. Ayr Utd (A)  2 - 1
 13/08/60 Group 4 vs. Raith Rovers (H)  5 - 0

 List of First Team Competitive goals scored (click to expand)
 21/08/63 Division One vs. Rangers (H)  1 - 1
 06/03/62 Division One vs. Dunfermline (H)  1 - 2
 18/11/61 Division One vs. Raith Rovers (H)  5 - 4
 04/03/61 Division One vs. Dunfermline (H)  4 - 1
 24/09/60 Division One vs. Clyde (H)  4 - 1

  = Starting Appearances (Sub Appearances) | = Goals | NPS = Squad Appearances (as Non-Playing Sub) | GtGR = Goals to Games Ratio
 Yel = Yellow Cards/Cautions | Red = Red Cards/Dismissals | W/D/L - Games won, drawn or lost as percentage of games played in


Timeline