Chelsea U21s Head Coach Robinson named boss of Burton Albion

Chelsea Under-21s boss Mark Robinson has left the club after two years to become Head Coach of League One Burton Albion.

After 18 years at AFC Wimbledon – including a spell in charge of the first team – the boyhood Chelsea fan moved to Stamford Bridge in May 2022. He led them to third place in Premier League 2 in his first season in charge and followed that up with a fourth-placed finish with one of the youngest sides in the league last season.

Ten players who represented his U21s in the last 12 months went on to make their senior debuts for Chelsea in 2023/24.

Robinson said: “I’m extremely proud to have been given this opportunity at Burton Albion. When the new owners outlined their plans and intentions for the future and meeting (Chairman) Ben Robinson, it really excited me in terms of what we can achieve together here.

“The owners have been clear with what they expect: we want to build a team that connects with the fans, and style of play will be important to that. I want to create a team that is enjoyable to watch, aggressive, and energetic, one that the fans and town feel they can really get behind and be proud to represent them.

“We want to combine the team’s success with the development of young players, something that I have been committed to throughout the last two decades as a coach. The owners and I are aligned in our belief that this approach will be key to the club’s long-term success while maintaining our primary focus on winning football games."

Strength and Conditioning Coach Elliott Axtell has joined Robinson at Burton, having spent the last 15 years with Chelsea’s U21s. Jake Kean has remained at the club as Head of Goalkeeping.

During his 18 years with the Dons, he helped structure the Club’s academy, earning it the reputation of being one of the most successful Category 3 academies in the country, and then oversaw it as Academy Manager, where the team enjoyed some memorable FA Youth Cup runs.