Quick Facts
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George Chippendale Robson (17 June 1908 – 1982) was an English professional football inside right, most notably for Brentford and Heart of Midlothian in the 1930s. He later became a scout at former club West Ham United.
Playing career
Newcastle United
An inside right, Robson joined hometown Division One club Newcastle United in 1925, but failed to make an appearance for the first team before departing in 1928.
West Ham United
Robson signed for Division One club West Ham United in 1928. He made his debut for the Hammers on the final day of the 1927–28 season in a 3–1 defeat to former club Newcastle United. Robson had to wait until 15 December 1928 for his next appearance, but he made his presence count with West Ham's third goal in a 3–3 draw with Sunderland. That month, Robson also fired in five goals for the reserve team in a 13–2 drubbing of Fulham. Robson failed to make a breakthrough into the first team at Upton Park, his best seasonal appearance tally being 11 in the 1929–30 season. He departed West Ham in February 1931, having made 18 appearances and scored two goals.
Brentford
Robson moved from East to West London to sign for Division Three South side Brentford in February 1931. He was a regular in the team throughout his time at Griffin Park, averaging a goal in every four league games, with manager Harry Curtis offering the view that Robson was his best ever signing. Robson contributed to the Bees' elevation to Division One for the first time in the club's history, helping the club to the Division Three South title in 1933 and scoring 10 goals in 27 games to send the club to the top flight as Division Two champions in 1935. That same year, he also won the London Challenge Cup with the reserve team. Once in Division One, the signings of Dai Richards and Dave McCulloch pushed Robson out of the starting line-up and he made just 18 appearances during the first half of the 1935–36 season, before departing in the Bees December 1935. Robson made 131 appearances and scored 34 goals during his time at Brentford.
Heart of Midlothian
Robson moved to Scotland to join Scottish Division One side Heart of Midlothian in December 1935, effectively replacing one of the men who displaced him at Brentford, Dave McCulloch. He made his debut in a 3–0 victory over Dundee on 2 January 1936. Along with Freddie Warren, Robson was the side's leading appearance-maker in the 1936–37 season, making 41 appearances and scoring four goals as Hearts finished fifth. He made 32 appearances and scored one goal during the 1937–38 season, a campaign in which Hearts finished as runners-up to Celtic in Division One. He also appeared against former side Brentford in the Empire Exhibition Trophy. After the break-out of the Second World War in 1939 and the suspension of competitive football, Robson continued to appear for the club in the wartime Southern League. He made his final appearance for Hearts in a 4–1 Southern League win over Dumbarton on 9 November 1940. Robson made 163 appearances and scored seven goals during his five years at Tynecastle. He won a host of minor honours while with the club, including the Wilson Cup (three times), the East of Scotland Shield (twice), the Stirling Charity Cup and the Rosebery Charity Cup.
Scouting career
After retiring as a player, Robson returned to former club West Ham United as a scout. He left Upton Park for the final time in 1971.
Honours
Brentford
- Football League Division Two: 1934–35
- Football League Division Three South: 1932–33
- London Challenge Cup: 1934–35
Heart of Midlothian
- Wilson Cup (3): 1936–37, 1939–40, 1940–41
- East of Scotland Shield (2): 1936–37, 1937–38
- Stirling Charity Cup (1): 1936–37
- Rosebery Charity Cup (1): 1936–37
- ^ White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. pp. 371–373. ISBN 0951526200.
- "1936-08-12 Wed Hearts 3 Hibernian 2". Londonhearts.com. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
- "1939-08-16 Wed Hibernian 0 Hearts 2". Londonhearts.com. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
- "1940-08-14 Wed Hearts 3 Hibernian 2". Londonhearts.com. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
- "1937-04-17 Sat Hearts 6 Hibernian 2". Londonhearts.com. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
- "1938-04-18 Mon Hibernian 4 Hearts 0". Londonhearts.com. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
- "1937-05-07 Fri Kings Park 1 Hearts 5". Londonhearts.com. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
- "1937-05-15 Sat Hearts 2 Hibernian 0". Londonhearts.com. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| West Ham United | 1927–28 | First Division | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1928–29 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | ||
| 1929–30 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 1 | ||
| 1930–31 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Total | 17 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 2 | ||
| Brentford | 1930–31 | Third Division South | 13 | 5 | — | 13 | 5 | |
| 1931–32 | 38 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 43 | 10 | ||
| 1932–33 | 24 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 6 | ||
| 1933–34 | Second Division | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| 1934–35 | 27 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 10 | ||
| 1935–36 | First Division | 18 | 3 | — | 18 | 3 | ||
| Total | 124 | 33 | 7 | 1 | 131 | 34 | ||
| Heart of Midlothian | 1935–36 | Scottish First Division | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 1 |
| 1936–37 | 38 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 41 | 3 | ||
| 1937–38 | 31 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 1 | ||
| 1938–39 | 33 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 37 | 0 | ||
| Total | 115 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 123 | 5 | ||
| Career total | 256 | 40 | 16 | 1 | 272 | 41 | ||