Tributes have been paid to Stewart Robertson, a stalwart of Watsonian rugby and cricket who has died four days shy of his 86th birthday.
In a statement the rugby club noted Stewart had given “35 years of stellar service to life at Myreside” adding: “anyone who has been a member of the club at any time since 1991 will have known Stewart because he was always keeping busy and trying to help the cause.”
‘Sonians go on to say that Stewart had a special role in helping the women’s rugby team become pre-eminent in Scotland having started from scratch.
It was the same in cricket where his organisational abilities were highly valued.
Recognised as a team attendant, team secretary and kit manager another of Stewart’s many tasks was as an old fashioned “sponge man” attending to on-pitch injuries.
The reason is explained by Anne, his wife of 47 years:
“Stewart became involved in sports injury as a result of having been a member of the highly successful, award winning, Lothian and Borders Police first aid team which competed all over the UK. A wet sponge cured most problems on the pitch so far as Stewart was concerned.”
Referring to first aiding prizes on offer at that time, Anne added: “We still have the tea sets to prove it!”
A rugby insider who knew Stewart well is Bruce Aitchison, former Watsonian player, subsequent coach and host of the “Happiness is Egg-Shaped” movement and web-site.
Said Bruce: “Stewart was an incredible volunteer who gave his time to help others enjoy the game.
“There are few like him and even fewer still involved. I doubt we’ll see many like him in the future. He was a beacon of his generation, someone who had got so much he just wanted to put back. Just because it was the right thing to do.”
Others who paid tribute included former 1st XV flanker Gavin Brown who summed up, saying:
“Did so much for the club (and) sometimes it went unnoticed but an all round great club man.”
Gavin’s one time team-mate Gary Scott added: “A servant to our club on so many levels from the early years of him being the sponge man (with) bottles of oil used to warm up many a hamstring.”
For the distaff side of the club Barb Wilson Gillie said: “An amazing man and incredible supporter and advocate for the women’s team.”
It wasn’t just the rank and file Stewart assisted. Scotland international hooker Steve Lawrie paid tribute, saying: “What an incredible man … thanks for all your efforts.”
A son of the Kingdom – his introduction to rugby came at Howe of Fife – Stewart had another claim to fame in that his police work saw him on duty when Queen Elizabeth 2 came to open the Forth Road Bridge in 1964.
Preparing the ground for the ceremony Stewart laid claim to actually being the first person to cross a bridge which would open up his native county in such dramatic fashion!
Two years later he had switched to the Lothian and Borders force – and the rest is capital sporting history.
