Anthony Robinson

Anthony Robinson was born in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) where his father was a tea planter for many years. He went to Marlborough School and soon proved himself to be a good all-round sportsman, playing for the school rugby XV and cricket XI. Hockey was his first choice of sport, however, and he followed his two uncles, John Yate Robinson and Lawrence Robinson, and became a hockey international.

Towards the end of World War II at the age of 18, Robinson joined the Royal Navy. He later went on to become a schoolteacher, eventually landing a post at the prestigious Millfield public school. Robinson won his first county hockey cap for Leicestershire in 1947 and later played for Somerset, eventually becoming their captain. He also played for the Midlands, West of England, Taunton, and the West of England Wanderers. He won the first of more than 30 England caps against Wales at Bournemouth in 1950. He was vice-captain of a touring England XI to South Africa and Kenya in 1958, having four years earlier captained a Great Britain team in an international tournament in Belgium.

Robinson appeared at two Olympics, winning a bronze medal in 1952, and was vice-captain of the team that finished fourth at Melbourne in 1956.