PROMOTION is the aim for Anton Robinson, but Town’s latest signing has two more immediate objectives – to win a place in the team, then keep it.

The 25-year-old who has signed a three-year contract after leaving AFC Bournemouth knows there is plenty of competition for a central midfield berth.

Manager Lee Clark might have told Joey Gudjonsson he can seek pastures new, but Scott Arfield is in the hunt for selection as he begins his second season in West Yorkshire.

And so too are Damien Johnson, back for a second season-long loan from Plymouth and Robinson’s fellow new arrivals Oscar Gobern and Tommy Miller.

“We have great competition here, not just in midfield but all over the pitch, and that has to be good for the team as a whole,” said Robinson, Town’s eighth close-season recruit.

“I want to be as good as I possibly can, and you need to have players pushing you in order to produce your best.”

Robinson missed out on Bournemouth’s win over Crystal Palace on Saturday as his transfer, for a reported £250,000, took shape.

But having played in the preceding friendlies, Clark has no worries about his fitness levels, and decided against giving him a run-out in yesterday’s private match at Doncaster.

And the player is desperate to catch the eye on the training field and push for inclusion in Saturday’s League I opener at home to Bury.

“This week will probably be a bit of a whirlwind, but that’s fine by me,” added Robinson, who put pen to paper after passing a medical on Monday.

“I want to hit the ground running and I’ll be doing everything I can to put myself at the forefront of the gaffer’s mind.”

Robinson, who shone against Town in last season’s play-off semis, had a year remaining on the Bournemouth contract he signed on moving from Wycombe in January 2009.

But the London-born former Millwall player was more than keen to talk to Clark when Town’s interest was made known to him.

“I believe Huddersfield made an initial bid for me, and my agent told me Lee Clark had been impressed by my performances against Huddersfield last season.

“I was given permission to talk and I spoke to the manager at length and liked what he had to say to me.

“I already knew a bit about the club, after all we played each other four times last season, and I really enjoyed the atmosphere when we came up here in the play-offs.”

The move has provided a reunion with Donal McDermott, who joined Town from Manchester City having had a loan stint at Bournemouth last season.

“I spoke to Donal, and he told me how easy he’d found it to settle at the club, which backed up what I already thought about the move,” he explained.

While Robinson looks to his future at Town, Bournemouth boss Lee Bradbury believes the club who were promoted from League II the season before last have become victims of their own success.

Robinson and McDermott are among six of last season’s squad no longer at Dean Court, the others being Jason Pearce (to Portsmouth) Rhoys Wiggins and Danny Hollands (both Charlton) and McDermott’s fellow loanee Adam Smith, who has returned to Tottenham.

“I understand this is the way football is, but, sometimes, you are the victims of your own success,” said Bradbury, whose side head to Charlton on Saturday.

“We didn’t get promoted. If we had, maybe the players would have been happy and fine. But we didn’t and some of those lads showcased themselves week in, week out and did superbly.

“Of course other clubs are going to be interested. It is a shame to lose these players because you get a bond with them. You start to get to know them very well, both as a player and a person, and then they move on.

“But that is football and you can’t keep the same squad forever. It is how you react to these losses and you will be judged on the people you bring in.”

l Former Town midfielder Kevin Kilbane has joined Derby on a six-month loan from Hull.

The experienced Republic of Ireland star played a key role in the run to last season’s League I play-off final after moving on loan following Damien Johnson’s season-ending injury.