Stewart Robson
Encyclopedia
Stewart Ian Robson is an English
former football
player. He now summarises for Arsenal TV
and sometimes on TalkSPORT's evening Kick Off Show during the week. He also serves as match analyst for Premier League telecasts airing on ESPN2
(U.S.A.) and ESPN Caribbean on some Saturday mornings.
He was educated at Alleyn Court Prep School
in Westcliff on Sea, and Brentwood School
. He was also an outstanding cricket
er. Robson joined Arsenal
as a schoolboy in 1978. He made his debut soon after his 17th birthday, on December 5, 1981 against West Ham United
, and quickly became a regular feature in the Arsenal side, as well as the England
team.
Robson showed great promise as young footballer, both in his versatility (although he usually played in midfield
, he was equally adept in defence as full back or centre back) and his competitiveness; he was an enthusiastic runner and tackler. He was the Arsenal fans' 1984 Player of the Year, and made the England senior squad, but a series of injuries hampered his career – Robson had continual problems with his groin
and hamstring
s. He spent three months out injured in 1985–86
.
After the arrival of George Graham
as manager, Robson found himself frozen out of the Arsenal side, only playing five matches of the 1986–87
season, before losing his place to Steve Williams. He was sold to West Ham United in January 1987 for £650,000; in total he had played 186 matches for Arsenal, scoring 21 goals.
He started brightly at West Ham – he was a regular in the Hammers' first team for two and a half years, and Player of the Year for 1987. However, he lost his place after they were relegated in 1989, playing only eight times in the following two years. In March 1991 he joined Coventry City
to return to the First Division and help Coventry continue their long spell at this level and become founder members of the FA Premier League
in 1992 (they would not suffer relegation until 2001), and went on to make 57 league appearances for the Sky Blues, but once again, injury ruined his spell at the club; he suffered a bad knee
injury playing his old club Arsenal at the start of the 1993–94
season. In summer 1995 he retired, after an entire season out injured. Following this, he went on to teach PE at Forest School in East London up until 1998.
Robson later joined Wimbledon
as a youth coach, eventually moving up the ranks to become reserve team manager and then first-team coach until leaving in December 2001.
In 2003 he spent a short spell as first-team coach at Southend United
, and in 2004 he joined Rushden & Diamonds
as assistant manager. He is now the Diamonds' technical director.
Robson teamed up with Martin Tyler
as the commentary duo for the non UK international feed of the 2010 FA Cup Final
as well as number of FA Cup games throughout the season.
Stewart now works for Arsenal TV as co-commentator.
Robson is a regular contributary on the popular football podcast released by The Times
in conjunction with their weekly football supplement The Game.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
former football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player. He now summarises for Arsenal TV
Arsenal TV
Arsenal TV was a sports television channel devoted to coverage of the English football club Arsenal. It was a part of the Setanta Sports package and was similar to other Setanta's other channels Celtic TV, Rangers TV and LFC TV.-History:...
and sometimes on TalkSPORT's evening Kick Off Show during the week. He also serves as match analyst for Premier League telecasts airing on ESPN2
ESPN2
ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
(U.S.A.) and ESPN Caribbean on some Saturday mornings.
He was educated at Alleyn Court Prep School
Alleyn Court Prep School
Alleyn Court Prep School is a preparatory school in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex. It was started in 1904 by the Wilcox family.The school has a very good reputation in all areas and for many years boys could be seen in their famous bright pink caps and ties....
in Westcliff on Sea, and Brentwood School
Brentwood School (England)
Brentwood School is an independent school in Brentwood, Essex, England. Educating boys and girls in a British public school tradition. Brentwood School is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference....
. He was also an outstanding cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er. Robson joined Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
as a schoolboy in 1978. He made his debut soon after his 17th birthday, on December 5, 1981 against West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
, and quickly became a regular feature in the Arsenal side, as well as the England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
team.
Robson showed great promise as young footballer, both in his versatility (although he usually played in midfield
Midfield
Midfield is the part of a sports pitch that lies approximately in the center. It is a term most commonly associated with football to refer to the area in and around the center circle, as well as the players who occupy that region, but it can be used in field hockey to describe the same area, or in...
, he was equally adept in defence as full back or centre back) and his competitiveness; he was an enthusiastic runner and tackler. He was the Arsenal fans' 1984 Player of the Year, and made the England senior squad, but a series of injuries hampered his career – Robson had continual problems with his groin
Groin
In human anatomy, the groin areas are the two creases at the junction of the torso with the legs, on either side of the pubic area. This is also known as the medial compartment of the thigh. A pulled groin muscle usually refers to a painful injury sustained by straining the hip adductor muscles...
and hamstring
Hamstring
In human anatomy, the hamstring refers to any one of the three posterior thigh muscles, or to the tendons that make up the borders of the space behind the knee. In modern anatomical contexts, however, they usually refer to the posterior thigh muscles, or the tendons of the semitendinosus, the...
s. He spent three months out injured in 1985–86
1985-86 in English football
The 1985–86 season was the 106th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :The championship crown went to Liverpool for the 16th time in their history at the end of their first season under the management of Kenny Dalglish, but they had to fight off some very stiff competition to...
.
After the arrival of George Graham
George Graham (footballer)
George Graham is a Scottish former football player and manager. He is best remembered for his success at Arsenal, as a player in the 1970s and then as manager from 1986 until 1995.-Early life:...
as manager, Robson found himself frozen out of the Arsenal side, only playing five matches of the 1986–87
1986-87 in English football
The 1986–87 season was the 107th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :The First Division championship went to Everton in their final season under the management of Howard Kendall before his departure to Athletic Bilbao. His side overcame a spate of injuries to fight off...
season, before losing his place to Steve Williams. He was sold to West Ham United in January 1987 for £650,000; in total he had played 186 matches for Arsenal, scoring 21 goals.
He started brightly at West Ham – he was a regular in the Hammers' first team for two and a half years, and Player of the Year for 1987. However, he lost his place after they were relegated in 1989, playing only eight times in the following two years. In March 1991 he joined Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
to return to the First Division and help Coventry continue their long spell at this level and become founder members of the FA Premier League
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
in 1992 (they would not suffer relegation until 2001), and went on to make 57 league appearances for the Sky Blues, but once again, injury ruined his spell at the club; he suffered a bad knee
Knee
The knee joint joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two articulations: one between the fibula and tibia, and one between the femur and patella. It is the largest joint in the human body and is very complicated. The knee is a mobile trocho-ginglymus , which permits flexion and extension as...
injury playing his old club Arsenal at the start of the 1993–94
1993-94 in English football
The 1993-1994 season was the 114th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:From the start of this season, the FA Premier League would be sponsored by Carling Breweries - an association which would last for eight years...
season. In summer 1995 he retired, after an entire season out injured. Following this, he went on to teach PE at Forest School in East London up until 1998.
Robson later joined Wimbledon
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
as a youth coach, eventually moving up the ranks to become reserve team manager and then first-team coach until leaving in December 2001.
In 2003 he spent a short spell as first-team coach at Southend United
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
, and in 2004 he joined Rushden & Diamonds
Rushden & Diamonds F.C.
Rushden & Diamonds Football Club was an association football club based in Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire, England. Formed by a merger of Rushden Town and Irthlingborough Diamonds in 1992, the club played in the Conference National following a short spell in the Football League at the start of...
as assistant manager. He is now the Diamonds' technical director.
Robson teamed up with Martin Tyler
Martin Tyler
Martin Tyler is an English football commentator who was voted as the FA Premier League Commentator of The Decade...
as the commentary duo for the non UK international feed of the 2010 FA Cup Final
2010 FA Cup Final
The 2010 FA Cup Final was the 129th final of the FA Cup, the world's oldest domestic football cup competition. The match took place on 15 May 2010, at Wembley Stadium, London...
as well as number of FA Cup games throughout the season.
Stewart now works for Arsenal TV as co-commentator.
Robson is a regular contributary on the popular football podcast released by The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
in conjunction with their weekly football supplement The Game.