Gulls cameo stands out for Robbo

The industrious midfielder had been ever present as the Cherries had climbed to second place in League Two by winning 11 and drawing four of their first 19 games.

But just 14 minutes into a 1-0 win over Shrewsbury at Dean Court in early December, Robinson’s impressive attendance record came to an end when he was forced off by a back injury.

He sat out the chastening 5-0 defeat at Morecambe and the Boxing Day win at Cheltenham before returning for the visit of Torquay, the final game of 2009, a tumultuous year for the club.

Recalling the game in the latest in our series of interviews for The Journey, Robinson told afcb.co.uk: “It probably isn’t a game too many people will remember from that season but it stands out for me.

“Due to the ongoing transfer embargo, we didn’t have enough fit players to make up the bench and I was still touch and go after the injury.

“The gaffer asked me if I could manage 20 to 30 minutes if required and I said I’d give it a go. As a player, you always want to be involved.

“We were losing 1-0 with about 15 minutes left and the gaffer turned to me and said ‘are you ready?’

“I came on and felt I really impacted the game. I made a good tackle to set up Liam Feeney for the equaliser before me and Jason Pearce both made goal-saving blocks at 1-1.

“Then, I helped Brett Pitman win the penalty which he scored. I really felt I’d made a difference and played an important part in helping us get the three points.

“Adam Smith was on loan at Torquay at the time and it was the first time I’d seen him play. He was unbelievable that day and I thought what a player he was going to be.”

Robinson, plucked by boss Eddie Howe from non-league Weymouth in February 2009, starred during the second half of the Cherries’ Greatest Escape in 2008/09.  

He made 117 appearances in all competitions before joining Huddersfield in 2011, going on to win promotion to the Championship with the Terriers.

The Londoner, who is now part of the recruitment staff at Vitality Stadium, was forced to retire at 28 after failing to fully recover from a cruciate knee ligament injury.

He scored four times during the 2009/10 promotion campaign, including crucial winners against Crewe and Morecambe.

Robinson also maintained an uncanny knack of netting on the opening day of the season when he doubled the Cherries’ lead during their 3-0 win at Bury.

Looking back at the season, Robinson said: “I remember the gaffer very quickly drew a line under our achievements from the previous season and focused our minds on getting promotion.

“We were very aware that the form charts from January had us in and around the top three and, if we could carry that into the new season, we knew we could achieve something positive.

“I had a habit of scoring in the first game and had done it at Fisher, Weymouth and during my academy and reserve days. It happened six or seven times.

“Bury were being touted for promotion having gone close the previous season. It was a lovely day and we upset a team that was going to be challenging.

“I remember having a laugh on the coach on the way back because I’d predicted that I would score before the game and I did. It was a great start to the season.

“We played some really good football and people started to take notice of us because of the brand of football we were playing.

“We turned over a lot of teams which had been tipped for promotion. We had a great start and people started to realise very quickly that we genuine contenders.”

The Cherries topped the pile at the end of October with two of their four defeats having come against a Marc Pugh-inspired Hereford and promotion rivals Rochdale.

Robinson said: “We had a few results which didn’t go in our favour and went back to the drawing board and really got together.

“I remember the Hereford game clearly because I played six different positions. We were chasing the game and I ended up at centre-back.

“Pughie did very well against us that night, as did a player called Mark Marshall. I remember them both being big threats.

“Rochdale had Chris O’Grady and Chris Dagnall up front and they were on fire. That defeat brought us back down to earth and made us realise we needed to keep focused.

“We couldn’t bring in players because of the embargo. Players had to play through injuries and it would affect our rhythm. But once we had a full squad there weren’t many teams that could compete with us.

“I didn’t score many goals that season but I remember the one at Crewe. We went there on the back of three successive defeats and really needed the points. It was a vital win.

“I liked my goal against Morecambe. I got a bit of stick from the lads about it because of the technique.

"Some of the boys asked whether I had meant it and I said ‘what are you talking about, of course I did!’

“My final goal that season was a header in a 2-0 win against Darlington. That was an important game in getting us over the line and there was huge pressure on us.

“After that game, we were confident. It was in our hands and we just needed one more win to guarantee promotion.  

“It came at Burton which will always be one of the best moments of my career. I’ll never forget the euphoria as soon as the final whistle had gone.

“All the energy just sucks out of your body and your legs feel like jelly. I remember falling to the floor. It was a weird experience but definitely one of the best.

“We worked so hard collectively. With the embargo and having gone through the Greatest Escape, we became like brothers in a sense.

“The way Eddie and Jase coached us brought us together. The experiences we shared showed how close we were and the bond we had.

“After what had happened the previous season, nothing they threw at us could compare to that and we rose to the challenge. They were memorable times.”