Dons midfielder not surprised that head coach landed key Chelsea role

AFC Wimbledon midfielder Alex Woodyard says he was not surprised to see former boss Mark Robinson appointed as head coach for Chelsea’s development squad.

Robinson spent 18 years with Wimbledon, joining in 2004 and helped build the club’s academy from the ground up.

After holding a number of roles in Wimbledon’s youth set-up, from academy manager to loans manager, Robinson was handed the first-team head coach role permanently after taking temporary charge following Glyn Hodges’ departure in early 2021.

He guided the club to safety during the 2020-21 season, with youngsters such as Ayoub Assal and Jack Rudoni becoming prominent first-team players during the rest of the campaign.

Wimbledon parted company with Robinson in March after a 20-game winless run saw the club slip into the relegation zone. The Dons replaced Robinson with former Reading manager Mark Bowen but still dropped out of League One at the end of the season.

Robinson, who will take charge of Chelsea’s most senior academy age group when the season starts again, handed Woodyard the club captaincy in his second game in charge.

“I’m not surprised because of what he achieved at Wimbledon within the academy,” Woodyard told the South London Press.

“It’s no surprise that a big club like Chelsea would want him as part of their academy set-up.

“I’m very, very pleased for him. I know he’s a massive Chelsea fan as well, so it’s not often that you get to work for two clubs that you love.

“He loved Wimbledon – he spent a long and successful time here. And he also loves Chelsea, so I’m absolutely delighted for him.

“I’m sure that he will continue the success that he had at Wimbledon with Chelsea.”

See Friday’s South London Press for an interview with Woodyard talking about him signing a new two-year deal at Plough Lane.