 Sir Neville Cardus often wrote about him with great affection in his newspaper articles, frequently referring to him as "the old Emmott".This was not an unfair description for Robinson did not make his first-class debut until the 1919 season, when cricket resumed in England after World War I.After playing for Yorkshire 2nd XI occasionally between 1904 and 1907, he had plied his trade for Ramsbottom in the Lancashire League, scoring 3607 runs (average 30.31) and taking 325 wickets (average 15.47).