Bob Wilson (footballer, born 1941) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Bob Wilson
OBE

Wilson in 2009
Personal information
Full name	Robert Primrose Wilson
Date of birth	(1941-10-30) 30 October 1941 (age 83)
Place of birth	Chesterfield, England
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1961–1963	Wolverhampton Wanderers	0	(0)
1963–1974	Arsenal	310	(0)
International career
1971	Scotland	2	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Robert Primrose Wilson (born 30 October 1941) is a famous former football goalkeeper from Scotland. After playing, he became a well-known TV presenter and helped start a charity.

Bob Wilson played for Arsenal for 11 years, appearing in over 300 games. He also played for the Scottish national team. After he stopped playing, he became a coach and a TV broadcaster for 28 years. He also created the the Willow Foundation charity to honor his daughter.

Early Life and Family

Bob Wilson was born in Chesterfield, England. His father, William, was a town engineer, and his mother, Catherine, was a magistrate. Bob was the youngest of six children.

Sadly, two of his older brothers died during the Second World War. One was a Spitfire pilot, and the other was a rear-gunner in a Lancaster plane. Bob also spent some time studying at Loughborough College.

Playing for Football Clubs

Wilson playing against Ajax Amsterdam in April 1970

Bob Wilson started his professional football career a bit later than most. His father wanted him to focus on his studies first. He played as an amateur for Wolverhampton Wanderers between 1961 and 1963.

In July 1963, he joined Arsenal. He was the first amateur player to have a transfer fee paid for him, which was £7,500. He became a professional player in March 1964.

Bob made his first appearance for Arsenal on October 26, 1963. For a few years, he was a backup goalkeeper. But in 1968, he became Arsenal's main goalkeeper. He stayed in that position for the rest of the 1967–68 season.

Bob was a key player for Arsenal. In the 1968–69 season, he played in every game. The team reached the League Cup Final but lost to Swindon Town.

The next season, 1969–70, Bob broke his arm. But he recovered and helped Arsenal win their first trophy, the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. In 1971, he was named Arsenal's Player of the Year. That season was very special because Arsenal won both the League and the FA Cup. This is called winning the "Double." Bob played in every single game that season.

Bob continued to be Arsenal's goalkeeper in the early 1970s. He retired from playing football in May 1974, when he was 32 years old.

As a goalkeeper, Bob was known for his special technique. He would dive at opponents' feet to stop them from scoring goals. This brave move often caused him injuries during his career.

Playing for Scotland

In 1970, the rules changed, allowing players to play for their parents' home countries. Because his parents were Scottish, Bob became eligible to play for Scotland.

He played his first game for Scotland on October 13, 1971. He also played in another match in December 1971. These were his only two games for the Scottish national team.

Coaching Football

After he stopped playing, Bob Wilson became a goalkeeping coach for Arsenal. He coached for 28 years! During this time, he worked with famous goalkeepers like Pat Jennings, John Lukic, and David Seaman.

He retired from coaching at the end of the 2002–03 season. During his time as a coach, Arsenal won two more "Doubles" (winning the League and FA Cup in the same season). Bob Wilson is one of only two people to have been involved in all three of Arsenal's "Double" wins.

Working in Television

BBC

Bob Wilson also had a long career in television. He first appeared as a football expert for the BBC during the 1970 World Cup. After retiring from playing in 1974, he became a full-time TV presenter.

He hosted the popular show Football Focus for 20 years, until 1994. He also presented Grandstand and Sportsnight sometimes. In the 1980s, he co-hosted Match of the Day. He also covered many World Cups for the BBC.

ITV

In 1994, Bob moved to ITV. There, he presented coverage of the UEFA Champions League, League Cup, and FA Cup. He also hosted ITV's coverage of major tournaments like Euro 96 and the 1998 World Cup.

His role at ITV changed when another famous presenter, Des Lynam, joined in 1999. Bob mostly presented late-night highlight shows after that. He left ITV after the 2002 World Cup.

Today, he still makes occasional appearances on TV shows like the BBC's Football Focus and Match of the Day 2.

Roy of the Rovers Comic

In the mid-1980s, Bob Wilson even appeared in a comic book series called Roy of the Rovers. He played for the fictional team Melchester Rovers for a season. In the comic, he helped the team win the League Cup and set a record for not letting any goals in. This was a fun story, even though it was unrealistic for a retired player to do so well!

Personal Life and Charity Work

Bob Wilson married Margaret "Megs" Miles in 1964. They had three children: John, Anna, and Robert. His son, John Wilson, is now a presenter on a BBC radio arts program. Sadly, Megs Wilson passed away in November 2023.

In April 2014, it was announced that Bob was fighting prostate cancer.

His middle name, Primrose, comes from a Scottish tradition. It means children are given their mother's maiden name as a middle name.

Charity Work

In February 1994, Bob's daughter Anna was diagnosed with a type of cancer. She passed away on December 1, 1998, just before her 32nd birthday.

To honor Anna, Bob and his family set up the "Willow Foundation" charity in 1999. The charity helps young people in the UK (aged 16–40) who are seriously ill. It provides them with special "Special Days" to create positive memories.

In 2007, Bob Wilson was given an award called the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his amazing charity work.

Honorary Award

In 1989, Bob Wilson received an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from Loughborough University. This was a special award to recognize his achievements.

Career Statistics

Club

Honours and Awards

Arsenal

• Football League First Division: 1970–71 (League Champions)
• FA Cup: 1970–71 (Cup Winners)
• Inter-Cities Fairs Cup: 1969–70 (European Cup Winners)

Individual

• Arsenal Player of the Season: 1970–71 (Best Player of the Season)

See also

In Spanish: Bob Wilson (futbolista) para niños

• List of Scotland international footballers born outside Scotland
• "Bob Wilson – Anchorman", a 2001 song by Half Man Half Biscuit