Keith decided it was time to retire – aged 21
There are still a few days left until the transfer window slams shut in Scotland. After that, it will still be possible for clubs to sign free agents. A few players will be left waiting to see if the phone rings with an opportunity to continue their career. For some, it may mean making the decision to play in the lower leagues. Only a few will decide to call time on football. Kilmarnock have a good track record when it comes to giving young players a start. They travel to face Aberdeen on Saturday – a fixture that seemed to have kicked-off a long and successful career for defender, Keith Robin. But he ended up walking away from football at the age of 21. Having been farmed out to junior outfit, Irvine Meadow, after signing for Killie, the full-back’s debut came away at Airdrie in March, 1981. His first bow in front of the Kilmarnock fans saw him facing reigning champions, Aberdeen. However, a 1-0 win for the Ayrshire side effectively ended Alex Ferguson’s hopes of retaining the title. Man of the Match in The Sunday Post was Keith Robin. Doug Baillie wrote: “He’s just up from Irvine Meadow and he had a field day against Ian Scanlon”. Keith, who’d been recruited from Ferguslie United by then Killie boss Davie Sneddon, recalls the feeling of being thrust into a highprofile game. He said: “It was a daunting prospect to be facing that famous Aberdeen side. In hindsight, it was a great privilege. “I recall being up against Miller and McLeish. “One of them left a lasting impression on one of my teeth with an elbow! “It was a great win but, unfortunately, we were already effectively relegated from the Premier Division.” Keith kept his first-team place, and finished the campaign by doing the double over Aberdeen with a 2-0 win at Pittodrie. He said: “We played Rangers at Ibrox and I was up against Willie Johnston. “He was using all his experience to wind me up by telling me what he was going to do to me. “Although he was nearly 35, he could still give me a few yard sofa start with hi space. “He was carried off after I tackled him, but it certainly wasn’t an intentional foul by me.” Keith was expected to be a stalwart of Killie’s attempt to bounce back to the top flight, but wasn’t used until the end of the campaign. He said: “I had offers from Rangers and Kilmarnock when I first went senior. “I decided to go to Rugby Park because I felt I would have more chance of making it. “But Kilmarnock were part-time and I was working as a quantity surveyor. “We trained on Tuesday and Thursday nights, but there were often deadlines to meet in my job and that could interfere with training.” Keith was recalled as Killie battled with Hearts for promotion. There was maybe just a little too much fight that day. He said: “It was a tough match, and I was involved in a bit of a niggle with Gerry McCoy that resulted in us both being sent off. “I could only watch the last game of the season. We needed to beat Queen of the South by five clear goals and hope that Hearts lost.” Killie won 6-0, Motherwell beat Hearts and champagne corks were popping at Rugby Park. Keith was rewarded with a free transfer! He said: “I think it was down to what I was putting into my career, rather than football. “It might have been different if I had devoted 100% to the game. But I saw players who struggled after hanging up their boots, and decided to put everything into my job. “I haven’t kicked a ball since.” Keith, who celebrates his 58th birthday today, now runs the Northwood lettings and estate agency in Glasgow. His son, Kyle, has played college football in the United States, and now coaches at Anderson University in Indiana.