FRIENDS and rivals have united in paying tribute to ‘Mr Studley’ after the sudden death of Studley FC president Dave Robinson, writes Colin Stoner.
Mr Robinson, one of the founders of the club in 1971, died after a heart attack at work, aged 71.
Bees chairman Barry Cromwell said ‘Robbo’ would be irreplaceable, having been a driving force at the club for four decades.
“Robbo has been one of the main figures at Studley for 40 years and he was a real stalwart. Without a doubt, he was Mr Studley,” said Mr Cromwell.
“He was one of the club’s founders when they started in Sunday football and then moved to Saturday football. He is such a big loss, not just to our club, but to football generally in the area. He would do anything for the club but he also got on so well with other clubs.”
Joint-boss John Edwards, who played under Robbo, said it had been his urgings that had convinced him to return to the club with Wayne Bunn last summer after a spell at Littleton.
“Robbo was a top man and always ready to help,” said Edwards.
“He was happy to do any job at the club, whether that was marking the pitch or tidying up the ground. He loved enjoying a joke with the players. He will leave a hole in a lot of people’s lives.”
Feckenham FC tweeted: “Awful to hear the news of the passing of Robbo from Studley FC, the local football scene has lost a great man.”
Redditch-based Mr Robinson had been a talented footballer playing for Oldbury United and Chelmsley Town before then going on to be a manager.
Having moved to Redditch, he helped start the then Studley BKL, made up mainly of BKL Fittings workers, to play Redditch Sunday football. Having joined the Midland Combination in 1987, they became simply Studley in 2002 when they were in the Midland Alliance.
Mr Robinson is survived by wife Judy, and children Sarah, Kelly and Spencer and two grandsons.
Studley will inviting all former players and volunteers to pay their tributes to Mr Robinson on Saturday when the Bees entertain Brocton at the Beehive (3pm).
The funeral will be held on Friday April 26 at Redditch Crematorium (12.30pm), followed by a reception at the club.
