Thus it was that Robert Aitken Jnr., Bobby, American-born, perhaps Scots-conceived, definitely of Scots parents, grew up and probably with the football contagion already in his blood, began, whilst also learning to lay bricks too, an on-field career in a thriving, local scene. And it was also there he developed into a fine half-back cum centre-half cum centre-back but as an amateur, whilst  around him the American game professionalised. Paterson F.C. and Paterson True Blues joined the North Association Football League in 1906, leaving in 1915. Paterson Wilberforce partook from 1909 to 1914. Paterson F.C. did the same from 1917 to 1920 and when the American Soccer League was formed in 1921 it joined the following year.    

Bobby Aitken, however, starting in 1921 at seventeen in local football with Eastside, would turn out for the fifth local club, Paterson Caledonian, latterly alongside his brother, Bill, younger by four years. And it was from there at the age just of twenty-four he was selected for the US Olympic squad in 1928 and captained it, playing in defeat in the first round. But, on return Caledonian would fold and both Aitken boys would move on to Totowa Rovers, where in 1931 Bobby was again captaining. And there they seemed to have stayed until hanging up their respective boots.

Meanwhile, Bobby Aitken had in 1926 married Scots-born Isabella Findley. They were to have three daughters. And post-soccer he clearly concentrated his energies with Bill on the family building concern, the Bert Thomas Aitken Construction Co.. When Bobby died in hospital in Paterson still but by then staying on the New Jersey shore at Monterey Beach he was its president. It was 1962. He was just fifty-eight, survived by Isabella by fully thirty five years, she passing away at ninety-two still in New Jersey at Toms River in 1997, and by Bill by ten more. His death would be in 2001 at a venerable ninety-eight.