Teen Robinson endured spot of teasing .. but time with England icon taught him resilience and graft that now form his mantra

AS a teenage trainee at Tottenham, Stephen Robinson had an early induction to the Paul Gascoigne school of banter - and belief.

- BY FRASER WILSON

Part chaotic, part energetic but always fantastic, the St Mirren manager lapped up those days spent in the treatment room with the midfield magician.

A thick skin was an essential survival tool.

Especially when it was his spotty complexion - his own words - that had him in the firing line.

It’s just as well the Northern Irishman - raised in 1970s Belfast - had the hide of a rhino as he fought back from the first of what would become three back operations during his playing career.

It wasn't just the wisecracking England legend's antics that hit the mark though. As lessons in resilience and sheer hard graft go, Robbo says Gazza was up there with the best. Two traits that the man now defying the odds as boss in Paisley carried throughout his playing career to make over 450 senior appearances for Spurs, Bournemouth, Preston, Luton and his country - all despite being told at 15 to forget a career in the game.

Last month he passed the 400-games landmark as a manager as Saints climbed back into the top six where they have finished in each of the last three seasons under Robinson.

And what underpins everything he has built in Paisley? Resilience and hard work.

Which brings us back to those early days with Gazza.

Sitting down with MailSport to mark that 400-game milestone, Robinson went right back to where it all began to explain the inner drive that has him dreaming of silverware with Saints and a shot at managing his country one day.

He said: “Terry Venables signed me for Spurs. I had actually gone through a back operation at 15 before that and the experts told me I'd never play at that stage. But I managed to play until I was 33.