Robert Williamson
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- For the poker player, see Robert Williamson III
Bobby Williamson (born Glasgow, 1961-08-13) is a football manager, most recently of the Plymouth Argyle football team, from where he dismissed by the directors on 6 September 2005 after a poor start to the 2005/2006 football season. This gained him the dubious distinction of being the first league manager to be dismissed in the 2005/06 season.
He had left his post at Hibernian to succeed fellow Scot, Paul Sturrock on 20 April 2004. Williamson was previously the manager of Kilmarnock.
He was a striker with an impressive goalscoring record at all teams. He began his career at Clydebank and his 35 goals in 85 matches earned him a move to Rangers. However, after an injury hit spell with the Glasgow club he moved to England, where he had spells with West Bromwich Albion and Rotherham United. He returned to Scotland in 1990 to join Kilmarnock; which proved to be his last club.
Williamson became the manager of Kilmarnock in 1997 following the departure of Alex Totten. He had a quick impact and in his first season guided them to a Scottish Cup win beating Falkirk 1-0 in the final. Kilmarnock finished highly in the Scottish Premier League and he guided them into Europe, playing sixteen ties. He also attracted high profile players such as former Scotland internationals, Ally McCoist and Ian Durrant as well as former French international, Christof Cocard.
In February 2002 the Scottish Premier League's longest serving manager took up a new challenge at Hibernian. He was again under huge financial constraints but produced several excellent young players and Hibernian became known throughout the UK for developing talented youngsters; with many top English clubs sending scouts to Hibs on a weekly basis.
In 2003/04 season, he guided his young team to the Scottish League Cup final beating both Old Firm clubs; Rangers and Celtic along the way. They were, however, beaten by Livingston 2-0 in the final.
He never gained true popularity with Hibs fans though. Mainly due to his rude and aloof attitude towards them, his arrogant, and misguided, belief in his own abilities, and of the biased West Coast media's bemusing claim that he was "the best young manager" in Scottish football! He gained notoriety for his claims that if Hibs fans want to see entertainment, "they should go to the cinema" and his insistance that finishing 8th in the SPL in season 2003-2004 was acceptable (Tony Mowbray reached 3rd with pretty much the same team the next season), and rumours that he was preparing to sell two of his most talented young players, Derek Riordan and Steven Whittaker to Inverness Caledonian Thistle, to bring in lumbering journeyman Bobby Mann. His dismissal at the end of season 2003/2004 sparked fury amongst some of his fans and friends in the Scottish media, who called his treatment by the Hibs board and fans "disgusting"! Since his departure, Hibs, under the watchful eye of Tony Mowbray, have gone on to finish 3rd in the SPL, qualify for Europe, defeat both of the Old Firm in meaningful league games, and excite and entertain Scottish Football fans with their pacy, attacking, passing style. A direct contrast to Williamson's dull, defensive long-ball game.
Williamson won his first match in charge of Plymouth Argyle, which gave Argyle promotion to the Football League Championship and the Division Two title, having built on the success of previous manager, Paul Sturrock. However a poor run of results at the start of the 2005-06 season lead to his dismissal on 6 September 2005. Financial constraints at Plymouth Argyle resulted in a number of signings which contributed to his demise, most notibly Taribo West.
He has since struggled to get a managerial position, due to the lack of success on his resumé. Even going back to his homeland, Scotland has proved unsuccessful.
Management record
| Club | From | To | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses |
| Kilmarnock | 7 December 1996 | 25 February 2002 | 242 | 89 | 86 | 87 |
| Hibernian | 25 February 2002 | 20 April 2004 | 93 | 34 | 38 | 21 |
| Plymouth Argyle | 20 April 2004 | 6 September 2005 | 58 | 19 | 12 | 27 |