(Credit: Nicky Hayes)
By David Richardson
In football‘s current climate, £24,000 for a 53-goal striker…now that’s a steal.
But when Bostik League side Billericay forked out that club-record figure for Jake Robinson in March last year, eyebrows were raised at their big-spending and the pressure for the 31-year-old to deliver was on.
The former Brighton forward scored on debut against Dulwich Hamlet and has never looked back.
This week, Robinson netted his 52nd goal of the season and by doing so broke Leon Gutzmore’s 20-year record of 51 goals in a season for Billericay. And there’s still five games left to play.
Robinson, who joined from Hemel Hempstead having bagged 27 goals in 28 appearances in the National League South, helped Ricay clinch their second trophy this season with his 53rd goal in Wednesday’s 5-3 victory over Met Police in the Velocity?Trophy.
Pressure
Robinson told The NLP: “It’s my most prolific season and most successful too with the cups we have won. It’s been a dream season really.
“I had a good season last year so I was confident going into this one. With the players we brought in over the summer I knew I was going to get chances. I’ve managed to take them when they’ve come along.
“There was a little bit of additional pressure with the transfer fee. I’d been playing football at a decent level for 15 years and had never gone for one. It was a new experience; I just wanted to repay the club with goals if possible. Thankfully I got off the mark straight away.
“I think they’ve got good value for money now the way the season has gone!”
Robinson began his career at Brighton where he made over 120 appearances in the Championship and then League One. He moved on to Shrewsbury in 2009 and then Northampton two years later before settling into Non-League with Whitehawk in 2013.
It was there where he began to regularly find the net and then moved on to his prolific season with Hemel.
Few can come close to Robinson’s goalscoring exploits this season across Non-League although he is aware of one of his closest rivals.
“My brother, Lee, is one goal ahead at the moment!” said Robinson. “He’s hit the 50 mark consistently now for the last few seasons for Newhaven in Step 5.
“I’ve normally been lagging way behind him but the one season where I’ve smashed it, he’s gone and done it again. It’s a nice bit of friendly competition. I’m really pleased for him but I would like to beat him one year.
“I’d like to try and get one in each game from now, I said that earlier in the season too when coming up to the record.
“I was glad I got that out of the way, it took a lot of pressure off. I didn’t want to be hanging around a couple of goals off for ages.
“The main objective is to win the league, it’s always been that. Anything else with my goals is a bonus.”
Trophies
Billericay are on course to complete a treble with the Bostik League title having now played 69 games in all competitions this season, but fatigue isn’t a problem when you’re winning says Robinson.
“It’s almost two season’s worth. When we’ve been going through our purple patches you don’t notice it. Everyone wants to play every day. It does accumulate though. Mentally I think everyone is in a good place.
“Personally, I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. I’ve been here over a year now. I’ve won three trophies and scored 60 goals.
“There are things you have to get used to that you wouldn’t get at another football club but we’ve embraced it. We quite enjoy the publicity we get and the crowds we play in front of. It’s been the most enjoyable time of my career; I really felt the pressure in the Football League.
“There’s five games left, everyone is prepared to leave it all out there.”
*This article originally featured in The @NonLeaguePaper which is available every Sunday and Monday
