My half sister Posted September 19, 2019 Jake Mulraney should be watching that video of Bobby v Dundee Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joondalupjambo Posted October 5, 2019 Heads up. His obituary is in today's Scotsman. A very good read so worth searching it out. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
been here before Posted October 5, 2019 https://www.scotsman.com/news/obituaries/obituary-rab-prentice-footballer-hearts-cult-hero-winger-capable-of-beating-an-entire-opposition-team-on-his-own-1-5017803 Robert Prentice, footballer. Born: 27 September, 1953 in Lanark.Died: 16 September, 2019 in Dalkeith, aged 65 RAB Prentice, who has died just days before his 66th birthday, was a cult hero to the Hearts fans during the somewhat difficult days of the 1970s, when he played 240 games for the club and won various representative honours. Eccentric left-wingers, players capable of beating an entire opposition team on their own, before tripping over the ball with nobody near them, are a long-established feature of the Scottish game, and the Lanark-born Prentice is widely considered to be one of the best of this breed. The son of a miner,he was raised in mining villages, Lesmahagow, Douglas Water and Dalkeith, as his father followed the coal. His promise was noted as a youth player with the well-known Edina Hearts nursery, from where he went senior with Dundee. But, he failed to make the grade at Dens – in spite of being a distant relation of then manager John Prentice, and returned to that famous Junior football nursery, Newtongrange Star, with whom he won Junior Scotland honours in 1972. He was signed by Celtic at this time, on the ground staff. But, while they allowed him to continue to play for Star, he was unable to displace Bobby Lennox from the Celtic team. Legend has it his father Willie had words with Jock Stein; one would like to have been a fly on the wall at a disagreement between two men who had hewed coal under the fields of Lanarkshire; anyway, the upshot was, Prentice was released by Celtic and quickly signed by Hearts, the team he had supported since seeing them beat Kilmarnock in the 1962 League Cup final. He joined up at Tynecastle in August, 1973 and quickly broke into the first team, making his debut against Dundee in a League Cup tie. A month later he scored the first of his eventual 26 goals for the club – in a 3-0 win over Rangers at Ibrox. Six months on from his debut, still only 20, he made the first of four appearances for the Scotland Under-23 team, in a match against Wales, which Scotland won 3-0. A month later he made his solitary appearance for the Scottish League XI, in a 5-0 loss to the English League. But, to be fair, with Scotland heading for the World Cup Finals, the League team was very-much a “reserve” team. He scored once for the Under-23s, in his final cap, against Denmark, in the European Championships, at Tynecastle. Prentice had come on for David Narey, but he discovered his shorts were a bit tight, and when he had to take a corner, he realised if he took a full swing at the ball, he would rip them. So, he played a short pass to Frankie Gray, got the ball back then beat three Danish defenders along the bye-line, before lobbing the ‘keeper from an impossible angle for a memorable goal, which had Mike Aitken waxing lyrical in his Scotsman match report. But, that was typical of Rab Prentice. Legend has it – Gary Mackay certainly used the story in his autobiography – he once, against Faklkirk, went back to collect a throw-out from Jim Cruickshank, beat the entire opposition team as he dribbled the length of the park, before turning back on himself and repeating the dribble, before passing back to Cruickshank. Another time, after he gave the ball away cheaply and Rangers scored at Ibrox, the irate Cruickshank chased him half the length of the park to remonstrate with him. The closest he came to a medal with Hearts was a runners-up one in the 1976 Scottish Cup final. The following season, Hearts were relegated from the Premier Division; but they bounced straight back in one season, only to be relegated again in 1978-79. This blow meant change at Tynecastle and Prentice was one of the players deemed surplus to requirements. He immediately took himself off to Canada, to join Toronto Blizzard, who surely got a bargain, paying only £8,000 for his signature, before running down his career with Baltimore Blast, then Buffalo Stallions in the six-a-side North American Indoor League. In 1984, he returned to Scotland, back to live in Dalkeith, but his playing days were over, although he continued to be a regular attender at Tynecastle – he had always been, first and foremost, a Hearts supporter. Prentice admitted to struggling without the game he loved. He had his demons with drink and depression. He never married, but lived close to his mother in Dalkeith. He was a genuine fans’ favourite. The Shed at Tynecastle had a song about him, and the way he could beat opponents at will certainly made him popular, and saw his occasional foibles forgiven. They don’t make them like Rab Prentice any more, more’s the pity. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cookieboy Posted September 16 A year gone already. Legend . RIP Bobby Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kiwidoug Posted September 16 What an utterly miserable start to the day. Far too young. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gorgie Boot boy Posted September 16 24 minutes ago, cookieboy said: A year gone already. Legend . RIP Bobby RIP Rab. One of the greatest wingers i saw playing for the Maroons. A year gone, respect to the Prentice family. I will always feel gutted . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Clerry Jambo Posted September 16 My first hero RIP Bobby Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jamstomorrow Posted September 16 "They don’t make them like Rab Prentice any more, more’s the pity." Sums him up perfectly. RIP Rab Prentice. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
micole Posted September 16 (edited) When he was on it he was world class. Him, Jimmy Johnstone, Willie Henderson ....tanner baw players. RIP. Edited September 16 by micole Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Morgan Posted September 16 1 hour ago, cookieboy said: A year gone already. Legend . RIP Bobby Good bump, Cookie. 👍 What a bloody brilliant winger he was, one of my very first Hearts heroes. Can’t believe it’s been a year already (and what a year it’s been too). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cookieboy Posted September 16 19 minutes ago, Morgan said: Good bump, Cookie. 👍 What a bloody brilliant winger he was, one of my very first Hearts heroes. Can’t believe it’s been a year already (and what a SHIT year it’s been too). FTFY unfortunately Morg Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maggieb Posted September 16 Great bump , brilliant player , just a genuine good guy , a gentleman to meet , a proper loss to the HMFC family 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻. 👏🏻 RIP son Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Busman2 Posted September 16 RIP Bobby a true legend Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
farin Posted September 16 RIP Bobby, glad to have seen play & belt out your song at games. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
willie wallace Posted September 16 He was brilliant in the 3-0 win at Ibrox.Not sure if Jardine. was right back for Rangers that day but whoever it was was getting a roasting. Did not want that game to end. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Morgan Posted September 16 1 hour ago, cookieboy said: FTFY unfortunately Morg Yep, that’s what I meant! 👍 Surely, things can only get better, Hearts wise and Covid wise? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Morgan Posted September 16 2 hours ago, Kiwidoug said: What an utterly miserable start to the day. Far too young. Are you perhaps forgetting that Bobby died a year ago, Doug? 🤷🏿♂️ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kiwidoug Posted September 17 2 hours ago, Morgan said: Are you perhaps forgetting that Bobby died a year ago, Doug? 🤷🏿♂️ Missed that completely so news to me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dannymack Posted September 17 All the promises of chanting the man's name down at Easter Rd on the 7th minute fell on partially hearing ears, that was really disappointing. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ford donald Posted September 17 On 16/09/2019 at 17:27, EH23-Jambo said: Heard earlier today, waited until got confirmation all his family and closest friends have now been informed, unfortunately he has passed. RIP Bobby Prentice. RIP Rab, great memories of you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davemclaren Posted September 17 The only times I saw Rab off the pitch was in the Laird and Dog mid 70s where he sometimes went for a Sunday night pint. You could tell he was a famous footballer due to him wearing a long leather coat Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Harry Potter Posted September 17 4 minutes ago, davemclaren said: The only times I saw Rab off the pitch was in the Laird and Dog mid 70s where he sometimes went for a Sunday night pint. You could tell he was a famous footballer due to him wearing a long leather coat Loved watching him play, the twists and turns were amazing. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skwif1 Posted September 17 A true genius and understated true legend. A great jambo who I will never forget, an absolute joy to watch. R.I.P. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndrewB Posted September 17 A great player; thanks for the thread bump. The Scotsman obit is full of random commas and errors which distracted me - but loved the story about the U-23 match at Tynie. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
colinmaroon Posted September 17 On 16/09/2020 at 22:01, willie wallace said: He was brilliant in the 3-0 win at Ibrox.Not sure if Jardine. was right back for Rangers that day but whoever it was was getting a roasting. Did not want that game to end. It was Jardine. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
A Shoreditch Heart Posted September 17 Bobby's goal for the under 23's that night was just unbelievable - I loved him Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dav1e Posted September 17 Top man ,been in Rabs company a few times ,he loved Hearts. Sadly missed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Iain4527 Posted September 17 Terrible news. Was a shining star during a bleak time. Without doubt a proper Hearts legend. Condole7 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mitch41 Posted September 18 The first time I saw Rab play at Tynie after being freed by Celtic I thought he’ll do for us. What a talent and what a great guy. Sadly missed. R.I.P. Rab Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mac Posted September 18 On 16/09/2019 at 12:33, highlandjambo3 said: Legend..... rip Loved him, and the great Willie Gibson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
