Robbo has goal for Blues ten years after last strike

YESTERDAY was exactly ten years to the day since Paul Robinson scored his last goal in professional football.

- By ALEX DICKEN

There weren’t many of them, 18 in all competitions over a 20-year career that started at Watford, saw him play an impressive 747 games and ended in May 2018 with him firmly-established as a Birmingham City favourite.

Moments like the one on January 16, 2016, when he headed home Michael Morrison’s near-post flick to inspire a 3-0 away in at Derby County, saw to that. Stephen Glee-son and Maikel Kieftenbeld completed the job on what must have been National Unlikely Scorer Day.

Blues finished tenth that season and won seven games on their travels, including victories at Leeds United, Brentford and Fulham - a dazzling 5-2 thrashing that cost Kit Symons his job as Gary Rowett’s team demonstrated a resilience that would serve the current vintage very, very well.

A decade on travel sickness has limited Chris Davies’ side to just two wins in 13 attempts and none in their last seven in the league. Indeed setting the FA Cup tie at League Two Cambridge United aside the situation seems to be getting worse if the evidence of Watford and Sheffield United is anything to go by.

On a points-per-game record the worst away record in the division has left Blues stuck in 14th, struggling for traction and overly reliant on their outstanding results at St Andrew's. With the season on a knife-edge and a trip to Swansea City on the horizon, the disparity has not escaped Robinson’s attention.