DAVID Robinson can name Robbie Fowler among his former team-mates - but it is his new found friends at Stanley who are impressing him so far.

The 27-year-old joined the Crown Ground outfit from Runcorn in a £5,000 deal in mid-September and has become a regular fixture in the centre of the park.

And the one-time Liverpool trainee has settled in well with his Stanley colleagues.

"I am enjoying playing in midfield with Flitty (Steve Flitcroft), Simon Carden and Russell Payne. They are good players and up front the likes of Lutel (James) can just run and run and run.

"They have helped me settle in. Luckily I knew about five of the players already before I came here from playing at Ashton.

"But it is a good club and the aim is now to finish as high up the league as possible and have a good run in one of the cups. That would get everything going."

Robinson is hoping his good footballing pedigree can help UniBond Premier side Stanley to this success.

"I started my career at Liverpool where I played in the team with Robbie Fowler and the likes," said the Scouser.

"I played around 35 games for Liverpool reserves but never broke through. Graeme Souness was the manager then. It didn't work out and I eventually got a move to Stockport County."

He spent a couple of years at Edgeley Park under Danny Bergara and Dave Jones but didn't break through into the first team.

He was released and began his career as a scaffolder while moving into non-League football with Ashton United - where he met up with Coleman for the first time.

"I'd heard about Dave before but I inherited him when I managed Ashton and he did well for me," said the Reds chief.

Robinson said: "Once you meet Coley you never forget him! He is a winner, he wants to win every game. I enjoy playing for him."

The two went their separate ways at Ashton, Coleman to Stanley and Robinson to Runcorn but the Reds chief always had his eye on linking up with 'Robbo' again.

"He was always someone I would want in my side," said the boss.

So Coleman began his pursuit but it did take a while to get his man.

"I knew Coley wanted me and I wanted to move from Runcorn to Accrington in the summer but the manager at Runcorn at the time wouldn't let me go," admitted Robinson. "So I just had to wait and see."

"It would have been nice to have seen them play a couple of times when I got here as I went straight into the team and had to get used to the way they play," said Robinson. It probably took a couple of games to get used to it here." but I did know about five of their players from Ashton United so it was nice to meet up with them again."

Things haven't quite gone to plan at the Crown Ground this season with pre season hopes of sealing a spot in the Nationwide Conference fading with every loss.

But Robinson says the players at Stanley aren't prepared to give up.

"Three or four wins on the bounce and you are back up there. It's only November and it is not over yet," he said.

A good cup run is more of a possibility with Stanley defeating First Division leaders Radcliffe Borough in the first round of the FA Umbro Trophy on Wednesday night with a home tie against Altrincham in the second stage.

"We have a point to prove with them and that is how we all feel.

"They beat us 3-1 the other week in the league and we only had a skeleton team with injuries but had the better of the game. We have a score to settle there."

But first, it's Vauxhall Motors when Stanley make the trip in the league tomorrow.

"It is close to home at least!" said Robinson of the Ellesmere Port side. "They have been going well with successive promotions and I know a few of their players from around non-League."

"They are a good side but we have been defending well. We have been solid at the back and we hope to keep it going."

Vauxhall Motors have made a charge from the NWCL Division One up to the Premier League in successive seasons and are currently eighth in the table - two places above Stanley.

"They beat us 3-2 earlier in the season, we fought back from 2-0 down and then fell to a sucker punch," said Coleman.

"We know if we play to the best of our ability we make a match for anybody and we go there confident as usual."

The boss has got injury doubts over striker Paul Mullin - who has a rib and ankle injury - and he is hoping Flitcroft, Peter Cavanagh, Paul Howarth and Paul Burns have recovered from minor knocks.