Bobby Combe

Infobox Football biography
playername = Bobby Combe


fullname = James Robert Combe
dateofbirth = birth date|1924|1|29
cityofbirth = Leith, Edinburgh
countryofbirth = Scotland
dateofdeath = death date and age|1991|1|19|1924|1|29
cityofdeath =
countryofdeath =
height = height|ft=5|in=7
nickname =
position = Wing Half / Inside Right
currentclub =
youthyears = Mussleburgh boys team
youthclubs = Inveresk Athletic
years = 1941-1957
clubs = Hibernian
caps(goals) = 263 (53)
nationalyears = 1948
nationalteam = Scotland
nationalcaps(goals) = 003 0(1)
manageryears = 1959
managerclubs = Dumbarton

James Robert "Bobby" Combe (29 January, 1924 in Leith, Edinburgh – 19 January 1991) was a former Scottish international footballer who spent his entire senior career with Hibernian.

A schoolboy internationalist,cite book | last = Lamming | first = Douglas | title = A Scottish Soccer Internationalists Who’s Who, 1872-1986 | format = Hardback | publisher = Hutton Press | year = 1987 | id = (ISBN 0-907033-47-4) ] Combe joined his local club Hibernian at the age of 17 from Inveresk Athletic. He was originally an inside right but dropped back to the half back line upon the formation of Hibs' "Famous Five" forward line, his position taken by Bobby Johnstone. Despite operating largely in the shadows of the "Five", he enjoyed a long and successful career, during which he won three League winners medals (1947-48, 1950-51, 1951-52) and one Scottish League Cup runners-up medal (1951).

Combe was also a Scotland internationalist, earning 3 caps in 1948. He made his debut in a 2-0 defeat by England and also appeared against Switzerland and Belgium that year, scoring against the latter. He was selected in Scotland's 22 man squad for the 1954 FIFA World Cup but the Scottish Football Association only budgeted to take 13 players (including only one goalkeeper) to the finals in Switzerland. Combe was one of the nine who did not travel with the likes of Ernie Copland and Jimmy Binning. Inside forward George Hamilton was also on reserve but travelled after Bobby Johnstone withdrew through injury.

In 1957 Combe retired from playing and was appointed Hibernian's trainer. He held the role for two years before briefly becoming manager of Dumbarton in 1959. In his later years, Combe worked as a shopkeeper in his native Leith, then in the marketing department of Scottish Gas.

References