Jock Robson

Who was Jock Robson?

John Hardy "Jock" Robson was a Scottish football goalkeeper.

Born in Innerleithen, Tweeddale, Robson played as a goalkeeper despite only standing at 5’8”. Robson had served in the First World War with the Seaforth Highlanders; after returning home he played for local side Vale of Leithen. In November 1921, Robson was signed by Arsenal, and initially was the club's third-choice goalkeeper behind Ernest Williamson and Stephen Dunn. With little experience and his lack of height, he was never expected to be thrust into the first team, but after first Williamson and then Dunn suffered poor form, Robson made his debut for Arsenal against Bolton Wanderers on 26 December 1922. Arsenal won 5-0 and Robson kept his place.

Robson played for the rest of the 1922-23 season, keeping twelve clean sheets in twenty matches, and he became an ever-present in the Arsenal side for the next season and a half; Arsenal were by no means a top side at this time, flirting dangerously with relegation in 1924 and 1925, but Robson's athletic keeping helped keep them up. However, after Welsh international Dan Lewis joined Arsenal in late 1924, Robson had to share goalkeeping duties with him,