Robinson George Image 3 Bradford City 1913

Description

Basford, Nottingham born right half George Robinson began his football career with Nottingham Jardines Athletic in 1896 and joined Newark Town the following year, from where he joined hometown First Division club Nottingham Forest, making his Football League debut against Bolton Wanderers in April 1899. By 1900 he had established himself as a first team regular in the Forest line up as they finished 4th and 5th in the League Championship in 1901 and 1902. However he struggled to get many games in 1902-03 and after a single goal in 92 appearances for Forest he joined Second Division Bradford City at the end of the season for their maiden Football League campaign, 1903-04, in which he was an ever present.

Described as “a player of great ability and tact.. knows the art of making openings for his colleagues… a good shot at goal”, Robinson played an important part in the early rise of The Bantams, scoring in a notable 5-0 victory over First Division Wolverhampton Wanderers in the FA Cup in February 1906. He later went on to play 37 League games in the Second Division Championship winning side of 1908, when he was club captain, and helped Bradford City establish themselves in the top flight, before gaining ultimate glory and a place in club folklore when he won an FA Cup winner’s medal in 1911, City defeating much fancied Newcastle United 1-0 in a replay at Old Trafford after the Final at The Crystal Palace had finished 0-0, a feat that still represents Bradford City’s only major piece of silverware.

He played his last match for The Bantams in March 1915, by when peacetime football was on the verge of cessation due to the advent of the First World War, and retired having scored 19 goals in 377 appearances for them.