Gerry Wolstenholme's Blog - Posts Tagged "buxton"
The last of the 1953 Blackpool FA Cup winning side
Cyril Robinson 1929-2019
Cyril Robinson, the last surviving member of Blackpool Football Club's FA Cup winning side of 1953 has died aged 90.
Born in Bulwell, Nottingham, on 4 March 1929, Robinson's talent at half back was spotted by a Blackpool scout after he had played for the England Boys’ Clubs' side. Blackpool duly signed him from Basford Hall Boys’ Club (Nottingham area) on 10 September 1949 after he had been on the books of Mansfield Town as an amateur. Ironically a scout for another Football League club said at the time 'I had my eye on him for a long time and twice I reported to my club about him but they would not listen to me. Now look what has happened, Blackpool stepped in and signed a jolly good prospect.
He spent his first season with Blackpool playing in the junior sides, appearing regularly in the Blackpool ‘B’ side and starring for it when Blackpool defeated Bolton Wanderers ‘B’ 4-0 at the Co-operative Ground, Marton on 22 October 1949. His performances were such that he gained promotion to the Central League side, making his debut at that level against Manchester United reserves on 26 August 1950 when the game was drawn 0-0.
He earned praise from the critics at whatever level he played, for instance when playing for Blackpool ‘B’ on 28 October 1950, Jack Ainscough was 'well supported by wing halves Proctor and Robinson' in his endeavours to keep Fleetwood at bay and in the Blackpool Lancashire Mid-Week League side’s 2-0 victory over Southport on 25 October 1950 'The Blackpool defence had little wrong with it. Cyril Robinson played another fine game, his third in five days as a full back.' Blackpool won the game 2-0.
He played 25 Central League games, scoring one goal, - his first senior goal for the club in a 2-1 defeat by Aston Villa reserves on 13 January 1951 - in the 1950/51 season, proving his versatility by operating between left half and left back.
Due to the strength of the Blackpool first team, he had to wait two years for his debut in the League side and he made it at right half against Middlesbrough on 27 October 1951. And 'he made a most satisfactory debut considering that he was up against will o’ the wisp Mannion' as the game was drawn 2-2. He gave another sound display at left half against West Bromwich Albion on 3 November 1951 as the game ended in a 1-1 draw. And he boosted his reputation even further with a polished performance against mighty Newcastle United on 10 November 1951 and he scored one of Blackpool’s goals, his first League goal, in a 6-3 victory. The press comment was 'Robinson still has to master the finer arts of the game and it would not be wise or fair to lavish praise at this early stage of his career.'
Having returned to his more familiar position of left half, he scored his second League goal for the club in a 4-2 victory over Stoke City on 24 November 1951. Ironically he was not in the side for the following game and it was not until 22 December 1951 that he returned to the League side in a 3-1 victory over Huddersfield Town. And he made his first Christmas Day appearance for the club in the 1-1 draw with Liverpool on 25 December 1951 but the return of Hughie Kelly for the following game saw him out of the side once again.
He ended the 1951/52 season having played 10 League games, scoring two goals, one FA Cup tie and 21 Central League games, scoring one goal. In the Central League side he played most of his games at left half but he also appeared at left back and outside left and he showed his capabilities once again by playing at inside left in a Lancashire Senior Cup tie against Preston North End on 23 January 1952 as Blackpool lost 1-0.
Having played a close season friendly game against Hamburg at Bloomfield Road on 29 April 1952, injury to Eddie Shimwell gave him a place in the League side at left back against Preston North End on 25 August 1952. The game was drawn 1-1 and the comment in the following week’s programme was 'Cyril Robinson, introduced into the team at left full back, was allotted the unenviable task of marking the elusive Tom Finney, and as the object of our visitors appeared to be to utilise the England outside right at every possible opportunity, our young defender had a very busy time indeed, yet he came through with flying colours.'
Despite these plaudits he played only one further League game that season when injury to Hughie Kelly meant a recall to the League side in the final game of the season when he appeared at left half in a disastrous 5-0 defeat by Manchester City. However, there was a silver lining for Robinson as Kelly’s injury also gave him a place in the FA Cup final side against Bolton Wanderers at Wembley on 2 May 1953. He did himself no harm as Blackpool won 4-3 and he gained a Cup-winners medal after having played in only 12 League games and one FA Cup tie for the club. In addition to the Final, he played two League games and 26 Central League games, scoring one goal, in the 1952/53 season.
At the close of the 1952/53 season, along with Dave Durie, Billy Wright, Stanley Hepton and Ken Booth, he was regarded as one 'destined to win fame' at the club. [Ironically of this group, only Durie had an extended Blackpool career.]
The 1953/54 season saw him sidelined from the League side and he did not make his first League appearance of the season until 24 October 1953 when Blackpool defeated Middlesbrough 1-0. His absence was no reflection of his ability, it was simply that Blackpool had a settled team of internationals and seasoned professionals. Indeed he played only four League games in the 1953/54 season - he also played 20 Central League games - but he did give another fine performance in an FA Cup tie as Blackpool defeated Luton Town 2-0 in the third replay of the third round FA Cup tie against Luton Town on 25 January 1954. Charlie Buchan in the Daily Express wrote of the match, 'Rarely have I seen Blackpool’s half backs play better, and really it was a reserve line on duty. John Crosland and Ewan Fenton always met the ball squarely and Cyril Robinson worked like a Trojan in attack and defence.'
After touring the continent and playing in a 2-1 victory over RW Essen on 16 May 1953, it was the same scenario in the 1954/55 season when his only opportunities came when Hughie Kelly was injured. He made six consecutive appearances as a replacement for Kelly before he returned to the Central League side, for which he played 18 games during the season. His final League game for the club turned out to be a 2-1 defeat by Preston North End on 9 October 1954 and the last game he represented Blackpool was in the Central League against Barnsley reserves on 30 April 1955 when Blackpool won 3-1. His lack of opportunities had caused him to ask for a transfer in December 1954 and he was placed on the transfer list at his own request.
His Blackpool career had encompassed 22 League games, scoring two goals, three FA Cup ties, 110 Central League games, scoring three goals, and two European games when he moved on to non-league side Northwich Victoria for the 1955/56 season after Wrexham had been keenly interested in signing him until they eventually dropped out of the bidding.
He spent one season at Northwich Victoria before he returned to League football when he joined Bradford Park Avenue in June 1956. He was immediately made captain at Bradford although he was still training at Blackpool. He went on to play 89 League games and score three goals for the Yorkshire club before being transferred to Southport in July 1959; he played 37 League games for the Sandgrounders.
After his League career he played for a number of non-league sides, Lancaster City for whom he signed in December 1960, Buxton FC, Fleetwood and Blackpool Mechanics, a club that he later managed in the mid-1960s. In addition he spent the summer of 1961 playing for Toronto City in the Eastern Canada Professional Soccer League and he also played for Hellas of Adelaide from 1963-65 when in addition he spent some time with Newcastle FC of Sydney.
He became head groundsman at Bloomfield Road for a number of years after retiring from the playing and administrative side of the game and fine tuned his golf, playing at Blackpool North Shore with his great pal and former team-mate Bill Perry. He also ran a newsagent’s business in Blackpool.
He remained a great supporter of Blackpool Football Club, was much admired by supporters and was ever willing to attend special events. He died, after a lengthy illness, on 9 November 2019.
Cyril Robinson, the last surviving member of Blackpool Football Club's FA Cup winning side of 1953 has died aged 90.
Born in Bulwell, Nottingham, on 4 March 1929, Robinson's talent at half back was spotted by a Blackpool scout after he had played for the England Boys’ Clubs' side. Blackpool duly signed him from Basford Hall Boys’ Club (Nottingham area) on 10 September 1949 after he had been on the books of Mansfield Town as an amateur. Ironically a scout for another Football League club said at the time 'I had my eye on him for a long time and twice I reported to my club about him but they would not listen to me. Now look what has happened, Blackpool stepped in and signed a jolly good prospect.
He spent his first season with Blackpool playing in the junior sides, appearing regularly in the Blackpool ‘B’ side and starring for it when Blackpool defeated Bolton Wanderers ‘B’ 4-0 at the Co-operative Ground, Marton on 22 October 1949. His performances were such that he gained promotion to the Central League side, making his debut at that level against Manchester United reserves on 26 August 1950 when the game was drawn 0-0.
He earned praise from the critics at whatever level he played, for instance when playing for Blackpool ‘B’ on 28 October 1950, Jack Ainscough was 'well supported by wing halves Proctor and Robinson' in his endeavours to keep Fleetwood at bay and in the Blackpool Lancashire Mid-Week League side’s 2-0 victory over Southport on 25 October 1950 'The Blackpool defence had little wrong with it. Cyril Robinson played another fine game, his third in five days as a full back.' Blackpool won the game 2-0.
He played 25 Central League games, scoring one goal, - his first senior goal for the club in a 2-1 defeat by Aston Villa reserves on 13 January 1951 - in the 1950/51 season, proving his versatility by operating between left half and left back.
Due to the strength of the Blackpool first team, he had to wait two years for his debut in the League side and he made it at right half against Middlesbrough on 27 October 1951. And 'he made a most satisfactory debut considering that he was up against will o’ the wisp Mannion' as the game was drawn 2-2. He gave another sound display at left half against West Bromwich Albion on 3 November 1951 as the game ended in a 1-1 draw. And he boosted his reputation even further with a polished performance against mighty Newcastle United on 10 November 1951 and he scored one of Blackpool’s goals, his first League goal, in a 6-3 victory. The press comment was 'Robinson still has to master the finer arts of the game and it would not be wise or fair to lavish praise at this early stage of his career.'
Having returned to his more familiar position of left half, he scored his second League goal for the club in a 4-2 victory over Stoke City on 24 November 1951. Ironically he was not in the side for the following game and it was not until 22 December 1951 that he returned to the League side in a 3-1 victory over Huddersfield Town. And he made his first Christmas Day appearance for the club in the 1-1 draw with Liverpool on 25 December 1951 but the return of Hughie Kelly for the following game saw him out of the side once again.
He ended the 1951/52 season having played 10 League games, scoring two goals, one FA Cup tie and 21 Central League games, scoring one goal. In the Central League side he played most of his games at left half but he also appeared at left back and outside left and he showed his capabilities once again by playing at inside left in a Lancashire Senior Cup tie against Preston North End on 23 January 1952 as Blackpool lost 1-0.
Having played a close season friendly game against Hamburg at Bloomfield Road on 29 April 1952, injury to Eddie Shimwell gave him a place in the League side at left back against Preston North End on 25 August 1952. The game was drawn 1-1 and the comment in the following week’s programme was 'Cyril Robinson, introduced into the team at left full back, was allotted the unenviable task of marking the elusive Tom Finney, and as the object of our visitors appeared to be to utilise the England outside right at every possible opportunity, our young defender had a very busy time indeed, yet he came through with flying colours.'
Despite these plaudits he played only one further League game that season when injury to Hughie Kelly meant a recall to the League side in the final game of the season when he appeared at left half in a disastrous 5-0 defeat by Manchester City. However, there was a silver lining for Robinson as Kelly’s injury also gave him a place in the FA Cup final side against Bolton Wanderers at Wembley on 2 May 1953. He did himself no harm as Blackpool won 4-3 and he gained a Cup-winners medal after having played in only 12 League games and one FA Cup tie for the club. In addition to the Final, he played two League games and 26 Central League games, scoring one goal, in the 1952/53 season.
At the close of the 1952/53 season, along with Dave Durie, Billy Wright, Stanley Hepton and Ken Booth, he was regarded as one 'destined to win fame' at the club. [Ironically of this group, only Durie had an extended Blackpool career.]
The 1953/54 season saw him sidelined from the League side and he did not make his first League appearance of the season until 24 October 1953 when Blackpool defeated Middlesbrough 1-0. His absence was no reflection of his ability, it was simply that Blackpool had a settled team of internationals and seasoned professionals. Indeed he played only four League games in the 1953/54 season - he also played 20 Central League games - but he did give another fine performance in an FA Cup tie as Blackpool defeated Luton Town 2-0 in the third replay of the third round FA Cup tie against Luton Town on 25 January 1954. Charlie Buchan in the Daily Express wrote of the match, 'Rarely have I seen Blackpool’s half backs play better, and really it was a reserve line on duty. John Crosland and Ewan Fenton always met the ball squarely and Cyril Robinson worked like a Trojan in attack and defence.'
After touring the continent and playing in a 2-1 victory over RW Essen on 16 May 1953, it was the same scenario in the 1954/55 season when his only opportunities came when Hughie Kelly was injured. He made six consecutive appearances as a replacement for Kelly before he returned to the Central League side, for which he played 18 games during the season. His final League game for the club turned out to be a 2-1 defeat by Preston North End on 9 October 1954 and the last game he represented Blackpool was in the Central League against Barnsley reserves on 30 April 1955 when Blackpool won 3-1. His lack of opportunities had caused him to ask for a transfer in December 1954 and he was placed on the transfer list at his own request.
His Blackpool career had encompassed 22 League games, scoring two goals, three FA Cup ties, 110 Central League games, scoring three goals, and two European games when he moved on to non-league side Northwich Victoria for the 1955/56 season after Wrexham had been keenly interested in signing him until they eventually dropped out of the bidding.
He spent one season at Northwich Victoria before he returned to League football when he joined Bradford Park Avenue in June 1956. He was immediately made captain at Bradford although he was still training at Blackpool. He went on to play 89 League games and score three goals for the Yorkshire club before being transferred to Southport in July 1959; he played 37 League games for the Sandgrounders.
After his League career he played for a number of non-league sides, Lancaster City for whom he signed in December 1960, Buxton FC, Fleetwood and Blackpool Mechanics, a club that he later managed in the mid-1960s. In addition he spent the summer of 1961 playing for Toronto City in the Eastern Canada Professional Soccer League and he also played for Hellas of Adelaide from 1963-65 when in addition he spent some time with Newcastle FC of Sydney.
He became head groundsman at Bloomfield Road for a number of years after retiring from the playing and administrative side of the game and fine tuned his golf, playing at Blackpool North Shore with his great pal and former team-mate Bill Perry. He also ran a newsagent’s business in Blackpool.
He remained a great supporter of Blackpool Football Club, was much admired by supporters and was ever willing to attend special events. He died, after a lengthy illness, on 9 November 2019.
