The long-serving stalwart quit on Wednesday night after more than 17 years at the club.

And the committee's task now is to find a replacement for a man who came to be known as Mr Hebburn.

Press officer Alan Armstrong said: "The committee are meeting tomorrow to talk over the situation.

"There's a good chance we'll look to appoint a caretaker to oversee a bit of continuity with the players until a full-time replacement is appointed."

Robinson is understood to have cited 'personal issues' as his reason for standing down.

Hebburn completed their season on Saturday with a 2-2 draw against Brandon, and were denied victory in his last game in charge by a 90th-minute equaliser.

Chairman Bill Laffey said: "Tony has been a great servant to this club, both as a player and a manager.

"We are sad to see him go, but we must look ahead and take this club forward.

"This is obviously a time of great change, and we will continue to strive to improve against a background of an economic recession which is affecting all non-league clubs.

"We wish Tony all the very best for the future after reluctantly accepting his resignation.

"His dedication was exemplified not only in his fine playing, managing and coaching skills, but he even maintained our home pitch at the Victoria Ground, which is widely acknowledged as one of the best playing surfaces in the north east."

Robinson, who played professional football in Belgium, as well as starring for Gateshead, joined Hebburn in the 1991/92 season, and helped the club lift the Durham Challenge Cup that same campaign.

He was appointed player-manager in 1993/94, and guided Hebburn to promotion in 2000, only for the club to make an immediate return to Division Two, where they have remained ever since.

This season, after something of a rebuilding job in the summer, Hebburn finished with their highest points total in almost a decade.

Occasionally still turning out when numbers were short, Robinson passed the 600-appearances mark for the club last season.