Chris Robinson (football chairman)

Christopher Peter Robinson (March 1951 – September 2022) was a British businessman and football executive best known for his involvement with Heart of Midlothian F.C. He and Leslie Deans took control of Hearts from Wallace Mercer in 1994. Robinson initially served as chairman and later became chief executive. During his time at the club, Tynecastle was extensively redeveloped, Hearts became the first Scottish football club to obtain a full stock-market listing and the team won the Scottish Cup in 1998.

Robinson's relationship with supporters deteriorated as Hearts' debts increased. His proposal to sell Tynecastle Park and move the club's home matches to Murrayfield Stadium led to sustained protests and the formation of the Save Our Hearts campaign. In 2004 he agreed to sell his 19.6 per cent shareholding to Vladimir Romanov. The transaction was completed in February 2005, after which the proposed sale of Tynecastle was cancelled.

Business career

Robinson served as student president at Heriot-Watt University. In 1978 he founded Wheatsheaf Catering, which specialised in banqueting, visitor attractions and sporting events. By 1996 the company held 20 contracts and was the largest independent caterer of its type in Scotland. Robinson sold it that year to Gardner Merchant.

He became president of the Hotel and Catering and Institutional Management Association in 1993 and later lectured on hospitality marketing in the United States and France. Robinson returned to the catering industry in January 2002 when he launched Heritage Hospitality. It merged with Portfolio Catering in October of that year to form Heritage Portfolio, with Robinson as chairman. He remained a director of Heritage Portfolio until December 2013.

Heart of Midlothian

Takeover and early years

Robinson and Deans took control of Hearts from Mercer in 1994. Their combined stake had cost £2 million. Robinson became chairman and was described as the club's new chairman in June 1994, shortly after the takeover. By 1997 Deans was chairman and Robinson was chief executive.

Mercer and Robinson subsequently fell out. Mercer gave his successor the nickname "the Pie Man", referring to Robinson's background in the catering business. The nickname was in national press usage by 1996 and was later widely adopted by Hearts supporters.

In April 1997, Hearts announced a share placing intended to raise £5.06 million, making the club the first in Scotland to obtain a full stock-market listing. The flotation valued Hearts at £14 million. Of the money raised, £2.97 million was allocated to a new stand at the Gorgie Road end of Tynecastle, completing an £8 million redevelopment of the stadium.

Robinson was chief executive when Hearts beat Rangers in the 1998 Scottish Cup final, their first major trophy for 36 years. He was also a vice-president of the Scottish Football Association. In May 1999 he was appointed to chair an SFA inquiry into security at an Old Firm match at Celtic Park during which referee Hugh Dallas was struck by a missile and three spectators entered the pitch.

Scottish Media Group announced an £8 million investment in Hearts in September 1999. It paid £3.5 million for a 19.9 per cent stake and invested a further £4.5 million in convertible loan stock, which could have increased its holding to 37 per cent.

Financial problems and Tynecastle

Financial difficulties were affecting the playing squad by 2000. Hearts sold several senior players and sought to reduce the wage bill, while supporters demonstrated against Robinson following a home defeat by St Johnstone in October.

By January 2004 Hearts owed £17.6 million. Robinson argued that the club should sell Tynecastle, rent Murrayfield from the Scottish Rugby Union and use the proceeds and additional revenue to address the debt. At the club's annual general meeting he warned that remaining at Tynecastle would mean continuing losses, while chairman Doug Smith said no final sale had yet been agreed. The club had rejected an indicative £12 million offer for the ground, believing that a wider sale process might produce a higher price.

Supporters strongly opposed the proposed move. Demonstrations included red-card and white-sheet protests at matches, while the Save Our Hearts campaign sought both to retain Tynecastle and to remove Robinson from his position. The "Pieman" nickname became closely associated with the protests; a Sunday Herald report in August 2004 described the chants directed at Robinson as a regular feature of Hearts matches.

Hearts announced an agreement in August 2004 to sell Tynecastle to property developer Cala Management. At an extraordinary general meeting the following month, 62.5 per cent of votes cast supported the deal on a turnout of 27 per cent. The agreement allowed Hearts to withdraw if a financially viable alternative was found before 31 January 2005. Hearts were already due to play their UEFA Cup tie against Braga at Murrayfield because the Tynecastle pitch did not meet UEFA regulations.

Romanov takeover and departure

Later in September 2004 Robinson accepted an offer of just over €1.25 million from Lithuanian businessman Vladimir Romanov for his 19.6 per cent stake. The transaction was completed on 2 February 2005. Together with shares acquired from other holders, it gave Romanov approximately 29.9 per cent of Hearts and made him the largest shareholder.

Hearts subsequently exercised the withdrawal clause in the Cala agreement. The club formally abandoned the Tynecastle sale in February after its board received assurances about the club's financial position under Romanov.

Robinson resigned as chief executive but initially remained on the Hearts board as a non-executive director. He left the board in July 2005, ending his official association with the club after 11 years. He later worked as a paid consultant to Romanov on plans relating to the redevelopment of Tynecastle.

In an interview shortly before leaving the board, Robinson acknowledged that he had made mistakes during his time at Hearts but said that decisions which later proved wrong had appeared correct when they were taken. He also said he had never liked the "Pieman" nickname, although he had eventually learned to live with it.

Death

Robinson's death was announced by Hearts on 11 September 2022. The club expressed its condolences to his wife Elizabeth and their family.