Robbins Walter Image 1 West Bromwich Albion 1936

Description

Cardiff born winger Walter Robbins began his career at Ely Brewery in 1926 and played for Ely United in 1927, for whom he scored 70 goals in the Cardiff and District League at the age of 16, before joining his home town First Division club Cardiff City, making his Football League debut at Portsmouth in December 1928, and playing 8 times in his debut season as The Bluebirds were relegated at the end of the season. In 1929, Robbins was selected for the Football Association of Wales tour of Canada but these matches were not classed as official international matches. He made his full debut for Wales in a 1-1 draw with Scotland at Ibrox on 25th October 1930.He went on to win 11 Welsh caps through to October 1935, his last cap also coming against Scotland, scoring 4 times for his country.

Relegation to Division Two saw the departures of George McLachlan and Fred Warren from Cardiff during the following season, handing Robbins a regular first team place, and despite him scoring 11 times in 1930-31 they were again relegated. On 6th February 1932, Robbins scored five goals during a 9-2 win over Thames Association, which remains the club’s record League win, and after 21 goals that season he was signed by First Division West Bromwich Albion in April 1932 having scored 39 goals in 92 appearances for Cardiff.

He spent 7 years at Albion before eventually signing for Newport County in the summer of 1939, immediately before the Second World War’s arrival effectively ended his football career, but during his time at The Hawthorns he was rarely guaranteed a regular place and in his best season, 1932-32, scored 10 goals in 25 appearances, playing in just over half of Albion’s fixtures. He wasn’t included in the 1935 FA Cup Final team, and eventually played his last game for The Baggies in April 1939, having scored 31 goals in 91 appearances. He never made a first team appearance for Newport before the abandonment of the Football League programme in September 1939.

He later went on to have a brief spell as Swansea Town’s manager from March 1969 to the end of the 1968-69 season, taking charge of them in 8 Fourth Division matches.