Highly popular ex-Watford defender Robbo returns as coach.
Paul Robinson has returned to Watford to become Tom Cleverley’s assistant coach.
The highly-popular former Hornets defender joined up officially with the squad this morning, replacing Spaniard Javier Pereira who has left the club.
Cleverley discusses his midfield options
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Robbo spent time at London Colney last week, and also watched an in-house friendly at the weekend.
The 45-year-old was born in Watford and went to school at St Michael’s in Garston.
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The left-sided defender came through the ranks at the club to establish himself in the first team and made 228 appearances for the Hornets.
A tough, no-nonsense defender who never shirked a tackle, Robbo was part of the team that beat Bolton Wanderers 2-0 at Wembley in 1999 to take the club to the Premier League for the first time.
He made 228 appearances for the Hornets, before being sold to West Brom in 2003 when the club were going through a period of financial difficulties.
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His time at The Hawthorns was equally successful and he made 238 appearances for the Baggies including almost 100 in the Premier League.
After a spell on loan, he transferred permanently to Bolton Wanderers in 2010 where he made 87 outings.
After a brief spell on loan at Leeds, he finished his playing days at Birmingham City, making 175 appearances for the St Andrews club.
In total, Robinson made almost 750 senior appearances during his playing career, and scored 18 goals.
Anyone who watched him play will also understand how he managed to accumulate 164 yellow cards and was sent off 10 times!
He stayed with the Blues to take up his first coaching role, and then most recently he was assistant to Gary Rowett at Millwall before the pair went to Birmingham at the end of last season in a bid to try and keep them in the Championship.
Robbo has never attempted to hide that Watford is his club, and had spoken privately about a desire to come back to Vicarage Road in some capacity.
Cleverley has now made that dream a reality, and Robbo’s first game in the dug-out will be at Luton on Saturday.
