Robinson was one of the founding members of St Sidwell’s United, the club that became Exeter City in 1904. He was almost certainly St Sidwell's first goalkeeper.

Having previously turned out for Heavitree (the longest-established club in the area), he joined the new St Sidwell’s United club that had been formed largely by a group of 16- and 17-year olds who had attended St Sidwell’s school and lived close to the current St James’ Park.

He is recorded as a member of the St Sidwell’s team that faced St David’s on 12 October 1901, the first game for which the complete line-up is known. Prior to that it is possible he played in the friendlies against Dawlish and Crediton in September 1901 and the first league game against Exeter YMCA on 5 October 1901.

Thereafter he was a regular member of the team through until the end of the 1903/04 season missing very few games. When absent, his place was occasionally taken by Peters who became Exeter City’s goalkeeper in 1904/05 after the club had been renamed.

There is a Bertie Robinson (16) is listed in the 1901 census as a brass finisher’s labourer living in Cheeke Street, Exeter.   

[A goalkeeper named Robinson appeared in a solitary first-team game for Exeter City against Plymouth Argyle Reserves on 2 December 1905. Exeter City: A Complete Record 1904-1990, the England Football Online website and a contemporary press report announcing his signing in 1908 suggest that this was the former England goalkeeper Jack Robinson who appeared for Exeter during 1908/09].