20 Years; 20 Players: No.17 John Robinson
A festive addition to my list of 20 Places and 20 Players that tell my story of memories from my life.
I’m doing this to celebrate 20 years of writing my Blog. They are in no order, but we have reached 17 of my 20 Players and wearing that number is John Robinson.
The sale of Robert Lee to Newcastle in 1992 wasn’t such the bitter tasting pill it first seemed. It is well recorded that the fee received massively contributed to the club being able to return to The Valley, and it also meant that a 21-year old Brighton prospect named John Robinson landed on our doorstep.
Curbs signed some bloody good one’s didn’t he? He knew Robinson from his Brighton days and it was he that Curbs decided was the long-term replacement for Lee.
The charismatic Robinson played a massive role in the club’s rebirth and his never say die attitude features in so many of my Charlton memories.
Robinson was snarly and ballsy and would run through walls. He would remonstrate over everything and must have been so annoying to play against. Over 300 games he played for the Addicks and was a hallmark of Curbs’ teams that won two promotions and lauded it in the Premiership. He was also one of seven players that dispatched a penalty in that Wembley play-off final.
I remember his goal against Manchester United like it was yesterday, but also too, a cracker he scored over Christmas 25 years ago at promotion rivals Huddersfield, a game shown live on TV.
After playing John owned and ran soccer academies here in Florida, incientially not far from us in Ft. Myers, but I believe he is now back in Sussex still giving back to local kids in the area, as well as still running various academy projects overseas.
Appearances 332. Goals 35 (1992 – 2003)
I’ve have been a Charlton fan since 1999 and only gave up my season ticket when moving to Norfolk in 2016. Over those years, Robbo epitomises the values and commitment of any true Club legend.
The bloke always gave 120% to the cause when Charlton consistently boxed above their weight in the Premier League. Definitely one of Curbs’ heroes.
Where would we be now with more John Robinsons?!!
We used to sing didn’t we about a team of Kermogant’s. A team of Robinson’s would’ve been brilliant.
150%
one of my all time favourite players and you are so right curbs did find some little gems but robbo gave everything when he put on the Charlton shirt a fantastic player and he seems like he is a very nice bloke all round what I’d give to have someone like him now in the team
Super player for us.
He was a fantastic, hard working, skilful and very underrated player CA who I don’t think really got the credit he deserved at the time. It was always very disappointing if for some reason he missed a match. I have very fond memories of watching him in swashbuckling form in the famous red and white.
I was gutted when we sold Robert Lee, and also disappointed by the cut-price replacement! I seem to remember that it took John Robinson a little while to find his feet with us, but once he did, he embodied the kind of spirit that we possessed back in the 90’s. We had a fire in our belly that was driving us. Whether it was the fight to get back to The Valley, winning promotion to the Premier League, or punching well above our weight once we got there, I don’t think any of it would have been possible without the kind of energy that players such as John Robinson brought.
Deffo one of my all time favourites, total commitment.
Absolutely agree CA, the nearest really good alround footballer I can think of that we have ever had to someone like Robinson giving 150%, even when he wasn’t having a good game, since our downward spiral, was Cullen. Who wasn’t even even our own player, just someone on loan!
IIRC he got injured in his first game for us…we had just sold Robert Lee, we signed a replacement who promptly got injured. Those first couple of seasons he wasn’t that loved, we even tried to sell him but there were no takers. Then someone got injured and in he came and he played a blinder and he never really lost his place even if that meant switching wings when Sean Newton came into the team.
You are right, he did. I remember he did take a while to get in and around the first team. He didn’t make many appearances during those first couple of seasons, but it tells you a lot about his attitude that he stuck with it.