Peterhead vice-chairman Les Hill says David Robertson’s success in trying circumstances in India made him a stand-out managerial candidate.
Robertson was appointed as the new Blue Toon boss yesterday, the first time the club have looked for a manager in 11 years.
The former Aberdeen, Rangers and Scotland defender made a name for himself as a manager with Real Kashmir. The club, based in a disputed territory in the north of the country, were only formed in 2016 and no team from the region had ever played in the top flight.
Robertson took them up as champions in 2018 and in their first year as an I-League outfit, guided them to third spot.
His exploits were the subject of a BBC documentary, which highlighted the off-field challenges of managing a club in a politically-divided region.
“We’re delighted to have Davie on board,” said Hill. “We had a great response for the vacancy, even though we didn’t advertise it.
“There were strong potential individuals that offered something for the club but Davie was the standout choice.
“He’s got strong family connections to Peterhead and he’s familiar to the league. He’s had a great football career and over the last decade or so, he’s got a lot of experience and proven himself in America and India.
“Anyone that can go to that environment and make a success of a team that was rock bottom, shows really good credentials for coming to Peterhead and taking up the challenge we face right now.”
Robertson’s son Mason played for the club during the 2017-18 season and went out to India with his father. He is currently in the USA.
The new boss comes into the club with it struggling at the bottom of League One, with only one win to their name.
“It’s a big challenge – every team is strong in League One and there’s an opportunity for us to move forward,” added Hill.
“We do have some signings lined up for January, which should add to the squad, and we are now seeing players come back.
“We’re still to get points on the board but I think with Davie at the helm, it’s a fresh start and the players should react well to that.”
Hill paid tribute to Jim McInally, whose 11-year-reign came to an end earlier this month, and his assistant Davie Nicholls. The latter took the team for the last two games while Peterhead looked for a successor.
“Jim and Davie were fantastic at Peterhead – not just the football club but they integrated with the community,” he said.
“They’re going to be a big miss but they both know that the door is always open at Peterhead. They’re always welcome to come back and visit.
“The time, you may say, was right for a change and I think we need to view it as a good opportunity. We’ve wiped the slate clean, we’ve listened to the new manager to get his feedback and as a board, we get right behind him and give him the tools to move forward.
“Over the next two, three, five years, we are building a plan around this manager to propel ourselves further up the table.”
