Focus On….Steve Robinson

Series continues on players who have spent some of their careers as a player or manager in the Southern League.

Steve was equally at home in defence or midfield and in his two spells with Dartford, both in the Southern League and in the Alliance Premier League, and he overtook Les Burns to become the Kent club`s record appearance holder with a remarkable 692.

He joined the Darts after being with Arsenal as a youth and with Leytonstone & Ilford, making his debut for John Still`s side in 1980.

There is no doubting that 1988/89 was Steve`s most successful season.

Dartford began the campaign with some silverware by winning the Southern League Champions Cup in August 1988 by beating Aylesbury United 1-0 on the Ducks` patch.

Steve went on to lift the Southern League Cup as captain once again, by beating Burton Albion 2-0 away in the second leg.

Disappointingly, Dartford were again pipped to the Southern League title and promotion to the Conference by Merthyr Tydfil by just three points.

And there was more disappointment when, after a fantastic run in the FA Trophy, Dartford lost the second leg to Macclesfield Town and a trip to Wembley – the third time Steve missed out on a trip to the Twin Towers, having previously lost with the Darts to Bishop`s Stortford in 1981 and Burton Albion in 1987.

In 1990, Steve was sold to Welling United for a £3,500 fee but returned `home` to Dartford at the start of the 1995/96 season when he helped them back into the Southern League.

He went on to play show how well he`d looked after himself by playing on until the age of 40.

He returned to Dartford once more in 2005 to assist manager and former team-mate Tony Burman after a disappointing spell in charge of Erith & Belvedere, where he took the managerial reigns in January 2005 after being number two to Barry Lakin.

He now prefers to watch his beloved West Ham United – when the pandemic allows!

Clubs Played For:

Dartford, Leytonstone & Ilford, Welling United, Ashford Town (Kent), Maidstone United, Sittingbourne.

Best Game Played In?

Southern League Cup final second leg, 26 April 1988. Dartford versus Bromsgrove Rovers. We were 3-1 down from first leg and won 3-0 to go through 4-3 on aggregate.

Best 11 played with -

1. Dave Mallett (Dartford)

2. David Jacques (Dartford)

3. Bob Makin (Dartford)

4. Tony Pamphlett (Dartford)

5. Duncan Horton (Welling United)

6. Andy Hessenthaler (Dartford)

7. Tony Eeles (Ashford Town) pictured

8. Peter Taylor (Dartford)

9. Terry Robbins (Welling United)

10. Tony Burman (Dartrford)

11. Dave Smith (Dartford)

Subs.

John Bartley (Welling United)

Frannie Cowley (Dartford)

Terry Sullivan (Dartford)

Nigel Ransom (Welling United)

Gary Abbott (Welling United)

Best Captain?

Nigel Ransom (Welling Utd)

Funniest Team-Mate/Manager?

Tony Eeles/Tommy Sampson (Ashford Town)

Best Manager?

John Still (Dartford and Leytonstone & Ilford)

Best Mate in Football?

Tony Eeles (Ashford Town)

Are You Still Involved In The Game?

No, I am now a season ticket holder at West Ham United.

Words of Advice?

Continue to play as long as possible (I played until I was 40) as you are a long time retired.