Roy Erskine, the father of Judy Murray and grandfather of Andy, has died aged 94. Stirling Albion and Cowdenbeath have both released statements expressing their sorrow at the loss of the “popular Dunblane figure”
Tributes have poured in for tennis legend Andy Murray’s grandfather Roy Erskine, who has passed away aged 94.
Stirling Albion and Cowdenbeath have both released statements expressing their sorrow at the loss of the “popular Dunblane figure”. Mr Erskine – father of Judy Murray – represented both clubs during the 1950s.
He joined Albion in 1954 before moving to Cowdenbeath in 1956, and also had stints with Hibernian, Peebles Rovers and Troon. Like his wife Shirley, whom he wed in 1957, Mr Erksine was also an accomplished tennis player.
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As a youngster he reached the semi-finals of the Scottish Boys’ Tennis Championships, and continued playing tennis following the end of his football career when he began working as an optician. In its tribute, Stirling Albion said: “Everyone at Stirling Albion was saddened to learn of the passing of former player, Roy Erskine, on the 19th of January 2026.”
It added: “In recent years, Roy had been a regular with his daughter Judy at club hospitality where he enjoyed speaking with supporters and chatting about his time at the club. He was particularly pleased to help celebrate the club’s League 2 championship win in 2022-23.
“A well-known and popular figure in Dunblane where he spent many years as an optician, he will be sorely missed.”
Cowdenbeath said everyone at the club was “deeply sorry and saddened” to learn of Mr Erskine’s death.
It said that following his retirement from football Mr Erskine focused his attentions on tennis, competing at county level. The tribute continued: “But of course maybe Roy (and Shirley’s) greatest contribution to tennis in this country is the genes they passed on to Judy, Jamie and Andy.
“And maybe a little bit of tuition over the years – indeed Roy was wont to claim he was the man who invented topspin in tennis.”
