Former Peterborough manager Dave Robertson has been appointed the new manager of Sligo Rovers.
After helping Sligo to safety, Micky Adams left the club at the end of the season, saying he wished to return to England for family reasons. Today, Robertson was announced as his replacement.
He was appointed caretaker manager of Peterborough United last February after the departure of Darren Ferguson. He won his first four matches in charge, lifting the team from 15th to 9th in the table by the season's end.
He retained the job at the start of this season. But one win in eight games left Peterborough in 20th spot and Robertson was sacked by the club's Dublin-born chairman Darragh MacAnthony.
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Robertson has a novel background for a football manager. Around the time Ireland travelled to play Northern Ireland in the Windsor Park in the hopes of qualifying for USA 94, Robertson was serving in the British Army in West Belfast.
He worked there for six months from the end of 1993 to the middle of 1994. He had previously toured Kuwait as a 17 year old commando. Peterborough Today report that he did his arctic training in Norway and has also undergone jungle warfare training.
He left in the army in his mid-twenties after suffering a viral infection while training in the jungle. He was fitted with a pacemaker and was discharged from the Marines in 1998.
He turned his attention to football coaching. As a teenager, it had been his desire to break into football but failed to find a club. The Royal Marines represented 'Plan B'.
I am delighted to be coming to work at Sligo Rovers. I know it is a big club with big expectations and hopefully the players and I can bring the success it deserves.
I have spoken to several people I know that know the league so I have a relative understanding but I want to get more depth. Recruiting players is a massive task and a very important one and if we can do that well it gives us the opportunity to hit the ground running and push forward from there.
Great appopintment by @sligorovers excellent young coach in Dave Robertson
— Darragh Collins (@DazColz) November 19, 2015
Robertson on his life as a commando in August https://t.co/XeEK1mRYMb pic.twitter.com/82G5M6y7P1 — Alan Smith (@alansmith90) November 19, 2015
@alansmith90 preseason training could be interesting
— David Corrigan (@daveismyname) November 19, 2015
