George Robledo facts for kids
George Robledo in the kit of the Chile national football team (1950).
|
|||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Jorge Robledo Oliver | ||
| Date of birth | 14 April 1926 | ||
| Place of birth | Iquique, Chile | ||
| Date of death | 1 April 1989 (aged 62) | ||
| Place of death | Viña del Mar, Chile | ||
| Height | 1.75 m | ||
| Playing position | Inside-forward | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1946–1949 | Barnsley | 105 | (45) |
| 1949–1953 | Newcastle United | 146 | (82) |
| 1953–1958 | Colo-Colo | 153 | (84) |
| 1959–1960 | O'Higgins | 21 | (6) |
| Total | 425 | (217) | |
| National team | |||
| 1950–1957 | Chile | 31 | (8) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1955 | Colo-Colo | ||
|
|||
Jorge "George" Robledo Oliver (born April 14, 1926 – died April 1, 1989) was a famous Chilean footballer. He played as a striker, which means he was a player who scored goals. He is best known for his time playing with Newcastle United in England. George Robledo made history as the first player from outside Britain to become the top scorer in England's main football league.
Contents
Who Was George Robledo?
George Robledo was born in Iquique, Chile. His father was Chilean and his mother was English. When he was five years old, in 1932, his family moved to England. They settled in a town called Brampton in Yorkshire. They moved because Chile was not very stable at that time.
George Robledo's Football Journey
George Robledo started his football career at Huddersfield Town. He played as an amateur, meaning he wasn't paid much. To earn money, he also worked in a coal mine. He never played for Huddersfield Town's main team.
Playing for Barnsley
During World War II, George moved to Barnsley. This was a team in the Second Division of English football. Here, he was able to stop working in the coal mine and focus more on football.
Becoming a Star at Newcastle United
On January 27, 1949, Newcastle United bought George Robledo. They paid £26,500 for him. This price also included his brother, Ted. Newcastle only wanted George, but he insisted his brother come too.
George played his first league game for Newcastle on February 5. They won 2–0 against Charlton Athletic. A month later, he scored his first goal in a big local game. This was the derby against Sunderland at St James' Park. Newcastle won 2–1, and George's goal was the winning one. This quickly made him a favorite with the fans. He played alongside Jackie Milburn, forming a great team. George scored 5 more goals in his first 12 games.
Winning the FA Cup
In the next season, George scored 11 goals for Newcastle. Then, in the 1950–51 season, he scored 14 times. He became the first South American player to play in the FA Cup final. Newcastle won the Cup by beating Blackpool 2–0.
George had an amazing 1951–52 season. He finished as the Division One's top scorer with 33 goals. He scored 39 goals in all competitions, which was a club record. He also scored the winning goal in the FA Cup final against Arsenal. This helped Newcastle win the FA Cup for the second year in a row! A young John Lennon even drew George's goal, and it was used on his album Walls and Bridges in 1974.
Moving to Chile
In the 1952–53 season, George scored 18 goals. This brought his total goals for Newcastle to 91. At the end of this season, his brother Ted was sold to Colo-Colo in Chile. Soon after, George followed him. Colo-Colo paid Newcastle £25,000 for George.
Both brothers were very popular in Chile. George became the top scorer in the Chilean league in 1953 and 1954. He scored 26 goals in 1953 and 25 goals in 1954. George left Colo-Colo in 1958. He took a year off from football. Then, he signed with Club Deportivo O'Higgins. He played his final years there before retiring in 1960.
Playing for His Country: Chile
Chile chose George Robledo to play in the 1950 FIFA World Cup. This was special because he didn't even speak Spanish! He played his first game against England. He also scored in Chile's 5–2 win against the United States.
George was also part of the Chile squad for the 1955 and 1957 South American Championship tournaments. In 1955, his team finished as runners-up. He played 31 games for Chile and scored 8 goals over seven years.
Achievements and Awards
Club Trophies
- FA Cup: 1950–51, 1951–52
- Primera División de Chile: 1953, 1956
- Copa Chile: 1958
Individual Awards
- First Division top scorer: 1951–52
- Primera División de Chile top scorer: 1953, 1954
George Robledo's Personal Life
George Robledo got married in 1959 and later had a daughter. He officially retired from football in 1961. After retiring, he became in charge of the sports program at St Peter's school in Viña del Mar, Chile. He lived a quiet life there until he passed away from a heart attack on April 1, 1989. He was almost 63 years old. His wife, Gladys, and his daughter, Elizabeth, survived him.
His brother, Ted, had passed away almost 20 years earlier. Ted fell from an oil tanker into the sea near Dubai in December 1970. His body was never found.
Images for kids
-
George Robledo in the kit of the Chile national football team (1950).
