Isthmian League chairman honoured with Lifetime Achievement
Robinson has had a long and storied career within non-league football, and before becoming Isthmian League chairman, he held the roles of Dulwich Hamlet general secretary between 1975 to 1982, and then Isthmian League secretary until 2005.
The honour was kept secret from Robinson until the award ceremony and he expressed how humbled he was to be recognised by those who have also put many years of service into non-league football.
'I did not know anything until I heard, 'when your father was treasurer of a non-league club', that I thought, 'Oh hang on, that is me!',' he said.
'It is my 50th year in football this year, so it is amazing to receive such a recognition.'
Amidst a career of dedicated service to non-league football, Robinson was quick to highlight what he believed was his biggest achievement during his time involved with the Isthmian League, which forms part of Step 3 & 4 of the National League System, alongside both the Northern Premier League and Southern League.
'It has been incredible to see the change in non-league football over those years,' he continued.
'In 1975, the Isthmian League had two divisions, now it has four divisions comprising of 88 clubs.
'We used to have elections to determine promotions, now it is all automatic, right from Step 6 up to Step 1.
'You win a league; you get a promotion. It does not depend on somebody liking you or not liking you. And I think that is the biggest achievement of all my 50 years.
'I am very proud of that. We have now got a perfect pyramid, and I am very proud that I have been a part of being able to put that in place.'
The National Game Awards is a celebration of the non-league season - highlighting the community, fans, on-field, and off-field successes of the game outside of the English Football League.
The ceremony is held each year by the Non-League Paper, the UK's number one selling football title and the best place for your non-league news, with this year's event held at Plough Lane - home of AFC Wimbledon
And when asked whether he had any plans to step away from an active role within non-league football, Robinson was unequivocal in his response.
'No, no, no, absolutely not!' he said with a smile.
'I tried to see every club this year, and I think I failed by about three clubs, but I went to nearly 60 grounds.
'It is a commitment and sometimes you question it, but actually, I love it.
'You go along, you meet people, you shake hands with them, and you try and make a difference.
'It is all about talking to people and finding out what they want. It is not always achievable, but I will always try my best to help.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Record
12 hours ago
- Daily Record
Jim Goodwin on Dundee United transfer 'reality' as he defends signing policy
United will look to take a step forward in the Conference League against UNA Strassen on Thursday Jim Goodwin has defended Dundee United 's signing policy and is confident it will help them make their mark in Europe. The United boss, who is looking to see off UNA Strassen in the Europa Conference League on Thursday, came in criticism when there wasn't one Scot in his starting line-up, although they did come off the bench, in last week's 1-0 home win over the Luxembourg minnows. Goodwin signed 11 non-Scots over the summer but insisted he went for home-grown players but they went elsewhere for more money and the United Academy will always be a major feeder for his team. Goodwin said: 'Everybody's entitled to their opinion one way or the other. The reality is this is the strategy that we've got going forward. 'We feel we can get really good value for money in the European market at the moment. 'I've said it numerous times, the British, the Scottish and the Irish markets are all really inflated in terms of the wages some of these guys are commanding. 'We're very comfortable with the situation. I think people overlook the fact we've got some really good young Scottish talent that has come through our academy, who have played numerous games over the last couple of seasons since I've been here. 'There aren't many teams that have had as much success as what Dundee United have had over the years in terms of developing their own players.' Goodwin admitted the biggest issue is value for money and the wages that Scottish players can command. He confirmed: 'We've identified good Scottish talent, but they've chosen different options because they feel they can get better contracts in terms of salary elsewhere. 'That's the nature of the beast. We're very comfortable with our strategy this year. Our recruitment has been really good. 'The team will continue to get better the more it plays together. Hopefully, we'll see another positive performance in the game tomorrow night.' There is the likely prize of a tie against Rapid Vienna in the next round but Goodwin and his players are entirely focused on seeing off UNA Strassen. He stated: 'I think we've given ourselves a really good chance of progressing off the back of the result in the first game. 'Rapid Vienna would be a fantastic occasion for the group. 'It would be a great fixture to look forward to but we're not thinking that far ahead at this moment in time.' United know they can't afford to look that far ahead as Rangers have lost previously to Progress Niederkorn and Aberdeen also lost in Luxembourg to Fola Esch but progressed. 'Any game away from home in Europe is difficult,' Goodwin stated. 'That has been proven. Historically, there have been a number of upsets. 'You only need to look at some of the results from the previous round in the Europa Conference. Some big teams have suffered heavy defeats. 'I think AZ Alkmaar, even in the last round, a game that people probably would have looked at on paper for them to cruise on through but they lost 4-3. 'They're going into tomorrow night's fixture trailing, whereas we've put ourselves in a really strong position. But we're not taking anything for granted. 'We know another clean sheet will be good enough to get the job done but we want to build on what we've worked on during the week. 'Try and iron out one or two of those mistakes we made last Thursday and hopefully be a little bit more clinical in front of goal.' Around 1,000 fans will be in the ground tomorrow and Goodwin admitted a lot of his family will be there for his first European away trip. He plans to send them and the United support home happy. He confirmed:'I've got my wife, my two kids, James and Millie. My eldest daughter is in Greece on holiday so she'll be watching on DUTV. "My mother and father-in-law are here as well so it'll be nice to play this game in front of them as well. It's their first experience of coming to watch me away from home in a European tie. 'Everybody's made a huge effort to be here to support Dundee United and we want to make sure all the hard work and all the cost of the travel is worth it." United have fitness doubts over Max Watters and Ryan Strain but they will be given until the last minute. Goodwin stated: 'We've got a few knocks from the game last week we're still assessing. 'One or two guys will be put through their paces out here tonight, and then a decision will be made on them later on tonight, whether they can be included in the squad or not.'
Daily Record
18 hours ago
- Daily Record
Former Partick Thistle star 'honoured' to be handed Hamilton Accies armband
The 33-year-old midfielder has taken the armband for the League One side Hamilton Accies have announced Scott Robinson will be the club's cpatin for the 2025/26 season in League One. The former Partick Thistle midfielder take the armband during a turbulent time for the club, following their relegation from the Championship last season and their subsequent season-long transfer embargo announced last week. But the club are sticking together with Accies gaffer John Rankin staying on amid the turmoil and picking Robinson to lead the players on the pitch. Robinson, 33, made 14 appearance for Accies last term after joining from Partick in February and he says he is thrilled to take on the responsibility ahead of Saturday's opener at home to Montrose. Robinson said: 'It's a huge honour to be given the armband for this massive campaign coming up. I won't change who I am about the place, I'll just be my usual self and that's probably why the gaffer has chosen me. "I'm excited for the challenge ahead but we all need to play our part. There's a lot of experienced boys in the dressing room, as well as the young ones that will be involved this year. 'It's about setting high standards, I won't change how I am or how I do things but we all need to chip in. "It is going to be e really tough season with what's happened to us [the embargo] but we need to look forward to the challenge. We need to keep the young boys on track. "I've had lots of good captains in my career. I had Marius Žaliūkas when I was at Hearts, who brought me on as a young boy and really looked after me, so now it is time for me to be that figure for the younger ones coming through. "We need to just try and get the job done to get promoted. We know it is not going to be easy now, the squad will be very thin, but the young boys can play their part now. "They are all good, honest, young boys who work their socks off. I am going to be there to help them and when they make a mistake, I'll pick them up." Accies gaffer John Rankin said: "Robbo came in last season and immediately lifted the standards in training. His energy and professionalism was clear to see and that made an impact on the pitch. 'He's an important character in the dressing room and will be important when it comes to working with the youth that will play a part in the first team this season.'
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Aussie mum-of-three and unified middleweight champion Desley 'Destroyer' Robinson becomes latest elite fighter to sign with Jake Paul's MVP
Unified middleweight world champion Desley 'Destroyer' Robinson has officially signed with Jake Paul 's Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), joining the likes of Shannon Courtenay, Jasmine Artiga, and Sa'Rai Brown-El in what is rapidly becoming the most elite female roster in professional boxing. Robinson, a proud single mother of three from Logan City, Queensland, holds both the IBF and WBO middleweight world titles at 160lbs after a remarkable 12 months that saw her rise from near-obscurity to championship glory. 'I love what Jake Paul, Nakisa Bidarian and the MVP team are doing for female boxing and I am so thankful that I will now be a part of that,' Robinson said following the announcement. 'MVP have signed some of the best female fighters of my generation, and to now be included in this is an amazing feeling. It is a privilege to have this opportunity and I can't wait to get over there and show the team what I have.' While Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, co-founders of Most Valuable Promotions, said: 'Women's boxing has never been stronger globally and today's signings further cement MVP's commitment to continuing to invest and elevate the sport like no boxing promotional brand has before. 'Desley, Jasmine, Yesica, Sa'Rai, and Shannon represent five powerful stories, four countries with proud boxing legacy, and one shared mission: to compete and win at the highest level. 'Signing a world champion like Desley Robinson, who is also a mother of three, is another important step for MVP's strategic focus on Australia and New Zealand and she joins our newly crowned Aussie and Kiwi undisputed champion Cherneka 'Sugar Neekz' Johnson and the soon-to-return Ebanie Bridges.' Robinson, known for her aggressive style and granite resolve, only stepped into a boxing gym to improve her fitness. But after over 50 amateur bouts and multiple Queensland and Australian titles, it became clear that Robinson had the heart - and hands - of a champion. After turning professional in 2019, Robinson racked up wins quickly and earned a title shot in just her seventh fight. Though she lost a close majority decision to New Zealand's Lani Daniels in December 2023, she bounced back in extraordinary fashion just a year later - fighting through a fractured foot - to claim the vacant IBF title with a gritty points win over fellow Aussie Kaye Scott. Only four months later, she returned to the ring and dominated Chloe Chaos to unify the division, winning the vacant WBO title with a masterful display of pace, poise and power. At 37, she now stands as the unified world champion at 160lbs and has finally earned her shot on the world's biggest stages. That global platform is exactly what MVP has made its trademark. Founded in 2021 by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, MVP has emerged as one of the sport's most influential and disruptive promotions. Its female-first ethos has turned heads and shattered records - none more so than the historic Taylor vs Serrano III card at Madison Square Garden, which became the most-watched professional women's sports event of the year. The Netflix-televised blockbuster saw 17 championship belts being contested on a single card and generated a sold-out gate of $2.63million - the highest for a women's sporting event in MSG history. Paul's promotional juggernaut also made Amanda Serrano the highest-paid female athlete in combat sports history that night, while broadcasting to more than 6m global viewers. Joining her in the MVP stable is former WBA bantamweight world champion Shannon Courtenay, who recently signed with the promotional outfit as part of her comeback campaign. Also on board is Jasmine 'Animal' Artiga, the undefeated WBA super flyweight world champion from Tampa who rose from the Legends Football League to boxing royalty, and Yesica Nery Plata, Mexico's former unified light flyweight champion. The 19-year-old phenom, Sa'Rai Brown-El, who is a 19-time US national champion and USA Boxing standout, is representing the next generation of stars now being brought into the spotlight. Paul and Bidarian's approach has been simple but seismic: create premium platforms, demand equal pay and exposure for female athletes, and showcase women's boxing with the production values and storytelling it has long deserved. It's a strategy that has shaken the boxing world and made MVP the go-to destination for elite women's fighters looking for more than just fights, but real careers. With her championship pedigree, inspirational backstory and all-action style, Desley Robinson now has the opportunity to take her talents from Australia to the global stage - backed by one of the most powerful forces in modern boxing. And for MVP, it's yet another step in their unapologetic mission to change the face of the sport one fighter, one title, one sold-out arena at a time.
