As Liverpool cruises toward yet another league title, all eyes have been on Mohamed Salah — or more precisely, the lack of goals coming from his boots lately.
While the Reds have the trophy nearly in hand and Salah’s future with the club is secured, there’s another storyline quietly unfolding in the background — one that stretches back more than seven decades.
It involves a Chilean-born footballer who grew up speaking with a thick Yorkshire accent, worked in coal mines, and left a mark on English football history that even modern greats have yet to erase.
Salah Slows Down, But a Record Remains in Sight
Salah’s strike against Tottenham — the fourth in Liverpool’s five-goal masterclass at Anfield — was his 28th Premier League goal this season.
However, it also ended a seven-week scoring drought. With just three games left, it’s becoming more likely that Salah may fall just short of equaling or beating a record few talk about today.
That record belongs to George Robledo, a name that doesn’t come up often in discussions of Premier League legends — perhaps because he scored his 33 goals long before the league took its modern form, back in the 1951-52 season.
What makes Robledo’s feat stand out isn’t just the number — 33 goals in a top-flight season — but the fact that no foreign-born and overseas-registered player has matched it since.
That’s despite goal-hungry giants like Thierry Henry, Luis Suarez, and Erling Haaland tearing through defences in the decades since.
A Chilean Boy Raised in Yorkshire
Robledo’s backstory is as fascinating as his footballing talent.
He was born in Iquique, a northern Chilean city, almost a century ago. But at the age of six, his life took a dramatic turn.
His English mother, Elsie, worked as a personal assistant to the wife of a British engineer working in Chile.
She met and married a Chilean man named Aristides, and together they had three sons.
The plan was for the whole family to move to England aboard the Reina del Pacifico.
But just before the ship left, Aristides vanished under the excuse of going to buy cigarettes — and never came back.
Elsie sailed without him and raised George, Ted, and Walter in the coal-rich town of West Melton, South Yorkshire.
George grew up balancing life between the mines and the pitch, eventually catching attention while playing for Barnsley in Division Two.
Newcastle United won the race for his signature, but only after agreeing to also sign his brother Ted for a joint fee of £26,500 — a considerable sum at the time.
Making History at Wembley and Beyond
George Robledo became a football pioneer. In 1951, he was the first South American to play in an FA Cup final.
The following year, both Robledo brothers featured in the final — and George scored the winning goal against Arsenal.
That goal made him not just a history-maker, but also a national hero.
It wasn’t until the 1980s that more South Americans — like Ossie Ardiles and Ricky Villa — followed in his Wembley footsteps.
The Story Behind the Stats
While many fans might recognize Robledo’s name from trivia quizzes, there’s much more to his life than a stat sheet.
Author Spencer Vignes uncovered this depth in Postcards from Santiago, a book that dives into the untold layers of the Robledo family story.
The book even details the mysterious and tragic disappearance of Ted Robledo at sea at age 42 — a death many suspect was murder.
There’s also the astonishing revelation of a secret sibling.
But perhaps most endearing is the trail of heartfelt letters George left behind.
George was a prolific letter-writer — just as sharp with a pen as he was with a football
Whether it was friends in Barnsley or teammates in Newcastle, he never stopped writing.
When he moved to Chile to join Colo-Colo, fans flooded the club with autograph requests.
The solution? Printed postcards featuring George.
But instead of scribbling a quick signature, he often included personal messages — and when fans replied, he’d write back.
A Chilean Icon with a Yorkshire Accent
Robledo played in the 1950 World Cup for Chile — even though he barely spoke Spanish at the time.
His heart may have belonged to England in many ways, but when international football came calling, he didn’t hesitate to represent the country of his birth.
He settled in Chile permanently, married his wife Gladys, and never returned to English football.
He passed away in 1989, at the age of 62.
Though his story fades a little more with each passing season, it still flickers to life when players like Salah come close to breaking his long-standing record.
And honestly? Let it flicker a little longer.
Salah probably won’t mind if he finishes the season with 32 instead of 33 — especially if it means a brilliant, buried legacy like George Robledo’s gets another moment in the spotlight.
Five Things I Learned This Week
1. Bournemouth Can’t Catch a Break
If Evanilson’s goal at Arsenal bounced in off his elbow, then Bournemouth might feel the universe owes them one.
VAR has already disallowed seven of their goals this season.
No wonder fans feel like officials always rule against the smaller clubs.
Evanilson, by the way, was only playing thanks to a red card appeal after a chaotic ending to the Manchester United match — where extra time helped United snatch a late equaliser.
2. Life After Spurs Isn’t So Bad
Eric Dier may have been pushed out at Spurs, but he’s now thriving at Bayern Munich.
He’s scored three in four games, including one that sparked a comeback at Leipzig.
He and Harry Kane are now Bundesliga champions — not bad for a pair of former Premier League outcasts.
3. Cardiff’s Rollercoaster Season
Cardiff didn’t win under their first or third managers this season.
But in between, caretaker Omer Riza picked up 41 points in 37 games — enough to stay up if it had continued.
They let him go anyway, and back down the table they tumbled.
Sometimes, you get what you deserve.
4. Reading Deserve Respect
Reading may have missed the play-offs, but considering the crisis they’ve endured, they deserve applause.
With Dai Yongge’s ownership era seemingly coming to a close, something more important than promotion might finally be on the horizon: stability.
5. Boston United Pull Off a Miracle
Burton Albion pulled off their usual great escape in League One, but Boston United’s story is even wilder.
In March, they were 12 points adrift. Now? They’ve won nine of the last 12 and have secured National League survival before the final game.