Bobby Seith – Clarets Right-Half Recovering In Ninewells Hospital
Former Clarets right-half, Bobby Seith is recovering in Ninewells Hospital, Scotland after having surgery to remove his right leg. He was admitted to hospital after suffering from pain in the leg which gradually started to get worse, doctors discovered that a leg artery was blocked and surgeons were left with no option but to amputate his leg above the knee.
He joined Burnley from Monifieth Tayside and signed a professional contract with the Clarets in 1949. He made his first-team debut against Manchester United’s Busby Babes at Old Trafford in October 1953, which was the beginning of a Burnley career that would see him make 238 appearances, scoring 6 goals for the club.
Seith, was a member of the team that travelled to Spain in September 1957 to play against FC Barcelona in a friendly game that officially opened the Nou Camp Stadium. He was also part of the Clarets squad that won the 1960 Football League Championship, although he is perhaps best remember as the man to stood up to Chairman Bob Lord.
That summer, a dispute with the Burnley Chairman Bob Lord led to Seith’s transfer back to Scotland, where he joined Dundee for £7,500, despite the Clarets being offered a bigger transfer fee from offers sides south of the board. The Dens Park side contained famous names such as Alan Gilzean, Gordon Smith and Ian Ure who were a potent threat to the traditional dominance of the Old Firm sides.
After just two season in Scotland he become a Scottish Football League Champion winning the league title in 1961-62 season, this allowed him to compete in the European Cup which had been denied him by his acrimonious departure from Turf Moor. He played a massive part in the Dark Blues run to the semi-final, which they lost to winners AC Milan.
Seith, joined the Dens Park coaching staff in 1965 after giving up playing before being lured away to Ibrox by Glasgow Rangers manager Scot Symon that same season. However he resigned from his post at Ibrox when Symon was sacked. He went on to manage in his own right when Preston North End appointed as first team manager and following a two year stay at Deepdale from 1968-70, he returned to Scotland to manage Hearts, spending four years in the Tynecastle hot seat.
Speaking about his father recovery Mr Seith said, “My dad is upbeat and determined to get out of hospital and overcome this and I have no doubt that he will, he recognises this is something that will be difficult but he is still strong enough physically and emotionally to get through this with the help of his family.
Chadwick Media 