Mark Robinson is an English football coach, who is current head coach of EFL League One club Burton Albion.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 1965 (age 58–59)[1][2] | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team |
Burton Albion (Head Coach) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Years | Team | ||
| Fulham | |||
| Managerial career | |||
| 2004–2021 | AFC Wimbledon (youth coach) | ||
| 2021–2022 | AFC Wimbledon | ||
| 2022–2024 | Chelsea Development Squad | ||
| 2024– | Burton Albion | ||
Early life
editRobinson's family had been fans of Chelsea F.C. since the 1940s, and he attended games with his parents and brother from the age of five. Such was his knowledge and love for the club he briefly worked as a part time tour guide at Stamford Bridge to improve his public speaking skills.
Playing career
editRobinson was a very promising youth player. Captaining Wandsworth District and London he got scouted by Fulham at a young age playing in a London Cup Final at the old Plough Lane. Captaining Fulham throughout the age groups at youth level a serious injury followed by a three year succession of further injuries derailed any chance of playing at a serious competitive level.
Coaching career
editAFC Wimbledon
editRobinson joined AFC Wimbledon in 2004, two years after the club's formation. On 30 January 2021, following the sacking of Glyn Hodges, Robinson was appointed interim manager of Wimbledon. Robinson had structured the club's hugely successful Academy, having served the club for 18 years in roles from Academy Manager, Head of Coaching to Lead professional phase coach and loans manager. Also managing the youth team for 15 years he led them to successful FA Youth Cup runs beating many Premier League Clubs along the way. On the 17 February 2021, AFC Wimbledon announced the appointment of Robinson on a permanent basis.[3] In the last 21 games he steered the form around dramatically as well as the playing style with the team playing its way out of the relegation zone and to safety, putting together the club's most consecutive wins as a professional football Club.
In the 2021–22 season after the club's best start to a season in eight years, the youngest squad in English football were top scorers in English football after eight games as well as a record run in the EFL Cup which ended with a loss to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. A series of injuries including main centre forward Ollie Palmer saw a dip in the Dons' results. Returning players saw their form recaptured before Christmas with three wins and two draws. January saw the Club sell top scorer Ollie Palmer and the Clubs only other forward Aaron Pressley ruled out for the season through injury. A lack of fire power and further injuries to key players saw the Dons become the draw specialists as they went 20 games without a win. On 28 March 2022, AFC Wimbledon parted company with Mark Robinson by mutual consent.[4] Just five days earlier he was publicly backed by the board.[5] The Dons winless form continued without Robinson for the rest of the season and they were later relegated to League Two.
Chelsea Development Squad
editOn 22 May 2022, Robinson was announced as the new Head Coach of the Development Squad for Premier League club Chelsea. In Robinson's first season as Development Squad Manager he steered a squad that in 2021–22 avoided relegation on the last game of the season to title challengers in the following season. This included a five month unbeaten run which was the longest in 23 years for the development squad/reserves. After a disappointing last few games of the season they eventually finished third behind Manchester City and Liverpool.[6] Lewis Hall progressed to the first team with several appearances as well as Bashir Humphries and Omari Hutchinson making their debuts. In Robinson's second season he steered the development squad to third place in a league of 26 teams. This was achieved with the second youngest squad in the league. A last 16 place was achieved in the international cup and a run to the semi-final in the Premier League Cup. More importantly six Premier League debuts were made by young development squad players.
Burton Albion
editOn 4 June 2024, Robinson was head hunted by new owners NFG (Nordic Football Group) to become Head Coach of League One club Burton Albion.[7]
Managerial statistics
edit- As of match played 24 August 2024
| Team | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | |||
| AFC Wimbledon | 30 January 2021 | 28 March 2022 | 68 | 17 | 23 | 28 | 25.0 |
| Burton Albion | 4 June 2024 | Present | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 20.0 |
| Total | 73 | 18 | 25 | 30 | 24.7 | ||
References
edit- ^ "New AFC Wimbledon head coach Mark Robinson happy not to be tasked with recruitment". London News Online. 19 February 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
- ^ "Dons boss Mark Robinson on why he is taking a big risk to pick the youngest team in the football league". London News Online. 6 August 2021. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
- ^ "AFC Wimbledon appoint Mark Robinson as new Head Coach". AFC Wimbledon. 17 February 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
- ^ "Club Statement". AFC Wimbledon. 28 March 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
- ^ "Boards back Mark Robinson". www.afcwimbledon.co.uk. 23 March 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
- ^ "Mark Robinson". chelseafc.com.
- ^ "MARK ROBINSON APPOINTED BURTON ALBION NEW HEAD COACH". www.burtonalbionfc.co.uk. 4 June 2024. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
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