Here's a trivia question for you; How many Scots scored during the 1998 World Cup in France? The answer?....Well, it depends. John Collins' opening day penalty and Craig Burley's lob against Norway are both beyond doubt. You could include Tom Boyd's own goal against Brazil to make it three. Including Robert Docherty of the Lothian & Borders Police Pipe Band's deft chip into the net during half time of the Scotland v Norway game would make four!
Brought up in Innerleithen, the young Robert was taken along to see Vale from the age of five by his dad Jim - these being the days before social services got so involved in cases of cruelty to children. Naturally, this eventually led to 'Doc' becoming involved with Leithen Rovers, where four seasons playing for the team brought success in the Border Amateur League First and Second Divisions, plus winners medals in the Collie Cup and Beveridge Cup. In total, he served the Rovers cause for ten years as player, committee member and physio.
At the start of season 2003-04, Doc became assistant to then Vale Physio Davie Hardie, who had expressed a desire to retire from the position. A year spent under the tutelage of 'Ruby' prepared him for becoming sole club Physio at the start of the 2004-05 season.
Doc combines commitments with Vale with his role as a Drummer in the Lothian & Borders Police Pipe Band, who are much in demand for a variety of important occasions, sporting and otherwise. This has seen him appear with the band at such locations as the Nou Camp Stadium, Barcelona, in front of 84,000 people - slightly more than the average attendance at Victoria Park on a Saturday. There were also engagements at the Real Madrid v Bayer Leverkusen Champions League Final at Hampden Park and at the France World Cup 1998, which is where we came in. While on with the Pipe Band providing half time entertainment for the crowd at StadeLescure, Bordeaux, Doc spotted a stray ball lying on the pitch and couldn't resist punting it into the net, to the delighted cheers of the assembled Tartan Army!
In addition to his job as a carer, Robert is also a part-time firefighter with the Lothian & Borders Fire Brigade. This means he is on 24-hour call for whenever there are incidents to attend to and it has been known to neccesitate a hasty departure from the ground on matchdays!
Most people are only aware of a Physio when they run on with their 'magic sponge' when a player is lying injured on the pitch, but a lot of unseen work goes into getting the players ready before matches, making it a vital role at the club and one which Doc carries out superbly.