Mark Robinson
Personal information
Date of birth 1965 (age 58–59)[1][2]
Team information
Current team
 Chelsea
(Development Squad Head Coach)
Youth career
Years Team
Fulham
Managerial career
2021–2022 AFC Wimbledon
2022– Chelsea Development Squad

Mark Robinson is an English football coach, who is head coach of the development squad for Premier League club Chelsea.[3]

Early life

Robinson'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

Robinson was a very promising youth player. Captaining Wandworth 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

AFC Wimbledon

Robinson 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.[4] 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 21/22 season after the clubs 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 Carabao 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 specialist as they went 20 games without a win. On the 28th March 2022, AFC Wimbledon parted company with Mark Robinson by mutual consent.[5] Just five days earlier he was publicly backed by the board.[6] The Dons winless form continued without Robinson for the rest of the season and they were relegated to League 2.

Chelsea Development Squad

On 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 21/22 avoided relegation the last game of the season to 22/23 title challengers. This included a 5 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 Man City and Liverpool.[7]Lewis Hall progressed to the first team with several appearances as well as Bashir Humphries and Omari Hutchinson making their debuts.

Managerial statistics

As of match played 26 March 2022
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team From To Record
PWDLWin %
AFC Wimbledon 30 January 2021 28 March 2022 68 17 23 28 025.0
Total 68 17 23 28 025.0

References

  1. ↑ "New AFC Wimbledon head coach Mark Robinson happy not to be tasked with recruitment". London News Online. 19 February 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  2. ↑ "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.
  3. ↑ "Mark Robinson named Chelsea development squad head coach". Chelsea FC.com. 25 May 2022. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  4. ↑ "AFC Wimbledon appoint Mark Robinson as new Head Coach". AFC Wimbledon. 17 February 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  5. ↑ "Club Statement". AFC Wimbledon. 28 March 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  6. ↑ "Boards back Mark Robinson". www.afcwimbledon.co.uk. 23 March 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  7. ↑ "Mark Robinson". chelseafc.com.


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