Robson was born in 1892 in Ryhope, County Durham, a younger son of Emma Louise Robson and her husband, Frederick, who was variously employed as a labourer in a carpet works, a fireman in a papermill, and a colliery labourer. His younger brother, Joe, also became a professional footballer. By the time of the 1911 census, the 18-year-old Fred was serving an apprenticeship in marine engineering. Robson joined Southern League club Southend United from Ryhope Villa in July 1913. He played for Southend until December 1914, when he attended the meeting at Fulham Town Hall called to raise the 17th Battalion of the Duke of Cambridge's Own the Football Battalionand became one of the thirty-five to enlist on the day. When not required for military duties he played as a guest in wartime football for clubs including Sunderland Rovers and Crystal Palace. After the war, Robson followed Southend manager Joe Bradshaw to another Southern League club, Swansea Town, where he performed well enough to earn selection for the Welsh Southern League clubs in their annual fixture against the English. Swansea were among the Southern League teams absorbed into the newly formed Football League Third Division in 1920, and Robson made his Football League debut at right back in the opening match of the 1920–21 season, a 3–0 defeat away to Portsmouth. He was a regular in the side, apart from a month missed for disciplinary reasons, and played in 76 of the 82 league matches over the next two seasons. He was offered terms for the 1922–23 campaign, but did not re-sign, and spent the following season in non-League football with Easington Colliery Welfare before returning to the Football League with Durham City in August 1923. He went straight into the Durham side, initially at left back alongside Hugh Elliott and then switching to the right to accommodate Jim Gallagher on the left, and was ever-present in League matches that season. He was appointed captain for 1924–25, playing for much of the time in the same team as his brother Joe, who joined in late October, and was ever-present until injury forced him to miss the last six games. The terms of his contract allowed him to leave after two seasonshe was transfer-listed at a small feeand he joined Third Division North rivals Hartlepools United. He played at left back in the first 11 matches of the season, but injury cost him his place and he made just four more first-team appearances, three against non-league opposition in the FA Cup and one Football League game in mid-December. He was on the books of his former club Durham City in the 1926–27 season, but did not play for the first team. The 1939 Register finds Robson living in Hastings Street, Sunderland, with his wife, Alice, and working as a colliery fitter. He died in 1960.
