Tributes paid to Oswestry journalist and sporting stalwart

Mike Robinson, from Oswestry, has died at the age of 65 following a short battle with illness.

He was known to many across the county as a journalist on newspapers in Shropshire and North Wales.

But Mr Robinson was also a leading member of Oswestry Cricket Club for around 40 years, where he became chairman and was instrumental in building the club up to the position it is in today.

Clubhouse manager Huw Roberts said: “He was Oswestry Cricket Club. It is terribly sad news and he leaves huge shoes to fill, he will never be replaced.

“His ethos was that he wanted the club to be the best it could be, and we will be carrying on Mike’s lasting legacy that he has left.

“All of the club’s games will go ahead on Saturday because that is what Mike would have wanted, and there will be a minute’s silence before the games.

“He made an immense contribution to the club, and we will look to do something to mark that contribution.”

Sport was Mr Robinson’s passion since his days at Oswestry Boys High School.

He was a founder committee member of the Wem Sunday Football League and ran The Sun football team in Oswestry.

Friend Graham Burgess described the him “one of a kind” and a legend of Oswestry Cricket Club.

He said: “I knew him since we were in school and he was a best friend of mine, the news is so shattering.

“He was someone who everyone wanted to be in the company of, he was a great character.

“He played cricket for Cae Glas before going over to Oswestry in the 70s and he really was Mr Oswestry Cricket Club.

“He was such a varied and interesting man, everyone wanted to chat to him.

“He was a tremendously dedicated person and hilariously funny.

“Mike was so proud of his sons who both played for the cricket club.

“He was one of the last characters in the town, and you don’t see people like Mike anymore, he really was one of a kind.”

Mr Robinson began his career in journalism at the Border Counties Advertizer, before spending 13 years as deputy sports editor on the Evening Leader in Wrexham.

Nick Broadbent, who was the sports editor and worked alongside Mr Robinson, described his death as a “tragedy”.

He said: “He was a lovely, humorous and entertaining person who I spent some great times with.

“We played with and against each other at cricket, and in darts and dominoes, and he was just a lovely, popular man about town who had a great sense of humour.”

He joined the Shrewsbury Chronicle in 1988 and spent 21 years as editor of newspapers in Shropshire including the South Shropshire Journal, Mid Wales Journal, Hereford Journal and Ludlow Journal.

In recent times, Mr Robinson returned to North Wales Newspapers working on the Border Counties Advertizer and the Whitchurch Herald.

John Butterworth, a former editor of the Shrewsbury Chronicle, said: “It is such sad news.

“Mike was a great professional journalist and a great character who will really be sadly missed.

“He did excellent work with the cricket club and what a lot of people don’t know about is the excellent work he did with the disabled cricketers.

“He was a larger than life character, great fun and he was a great man to work with for 12 years.”

Another of Mr Robinson’s passions was horse racing, of which he was an avid follower.

Mark Ball, who formerly owned Lets Live Racing, a horse racing syndicate, recalled his memories of Mr Robinson.

“He was a great man who I got to know through his love of horse racing,” he said.

“He came with me to race meets as a spectator and always threw himself into it.

“It is a real shame he has passed away.”