Today the gentleman of British football Sir Robert William Robson CBE passed away.
Born on 18th February 1933, in Sacriston, County Durham, the son of a pitman, he grew up in Langley Park, and would go to St James’ Park with his farther and brother, where he watched the likes of Len Shackleton and Jackie Milburn play for Newcastle United.
As a player he played for Fulham and West Bromwich Albion, and in his own words, “in football, I didn’t win a thing”. But he was a decent goal scoring midfielder, and earned 20 caps for England, playing in the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, Robson only lost his place in the England squad to Bobby Charlton.
Initially he had hoped to play for his beloved Toon, but Newcastle United, never showed any interest, and thus he eventually returned to Fulham, where he finished his playing career.
But it was as a manager that Bobby Robson really excelled, after taking the FAs coaches training course at Lilleshall in 1959, Robson started his managerial career, in 1967, at the Vancouver Royals in Canada, though he left in January 1968 to his former club Fulham. He only lasted 10 months at Fulham.
Following his stint at Fulham, he scouted for Chelsea and following a chance encounter with Ipswich Towns director Murray Sangster, he became manager of the Tractor Boys, then a small regional club.
Following four mediocre seasons, in 1972 – 1973 season, Ipswich finished 4th in Division 1 and won the Texaco Cup beginning Ipswich’s glory days. Under Robson, the Tractor Boys won the FA Cup, the UEFA Cup, finished second in the league twice. Robson spent 13 very successful years at Ipswich, where he established an extremely successful youth system, only bringing in 14 players during his tenure.
In 1982, Robson became England manager, succeeding Ron Greenwood. He angered Newcastle Fans in his first game by dropping then Toon player Kevin Keegan, which resulted in him being spat at. However Robsons England lost only one of their 28 qualifying games, to Denmark, which resulted in the failure of England to qualify for the 1984 European Championship. Robson did offer to resign in favour of Brian Clough, but due to the disdain that the FA had for Clough, his resignation was refused.
England qualified for the 1986 World Cup, where Robson lead them to the quarter-finals, where England were defeated by Argentina, following Maradona‘s, Hand of God goal, and the goal of the century. Robson later said of the Hand of God goal:-
“It wasn’t the hand of God. It was the hand of a rascal. God had nothing to do with it… That day, Maradona was diminished in my eyes forever.”
Robson then lead an England team to the 1988 European Championships in West Germany, where England crashed out, he was vilified by the British press, and following a friendly defeat to Saudi Arabia, on paper had as its headline:-
“In the name of Allah, go”
He offered his resignation again, but the FA turned it down, many say that it was because the only other option was Brian Clough. England qualified for the 1990 World Cup in Italy, and with a team including the legends, Bryan Robson, Gary Lineker, Terry Butcher, Chris Waddle and a young Paul Gascoigne, whom Robson described as:-
“daft as a brush”
England eventually lost in a tense semi-final to West Germany on penalties, and with his reputation restored Robson, went to Europe, where he managed at PSV Eindhoven, winning the Dutch Championship, before managing Sporting Lisbon, Porto, and Barcelona, where he won more honours, and mentored his young assistant José Mourinho.
While at Barcelona, Robson discovered the talent of Brazilian superstar Ronaldo. Eventually Robson returned to PSV for one last season, before finally being offered to take over the reigns at his beloved Newcastle United following the disastrous tenure of Ruud Gullit.
Robson quickly turned the team around, and made Newcastle United a top club again, taking us into the UEFA Champions League. Robson, was seen a a more ground to earth man in comparison to his aloof predecessor, when he took over, we were staring into the abyss, and had just lost to our arch-rivals Sunderland.
He managed the wayward millionaires of Newcastle United, but he remained enthusiastic, and was held in huge esteem by the fans of the club. In 2000 following the resignation of Kevin Keegan from the post of England Manager, he was asked to return on a part time basis, but this was blocked by Toon chairman, Freddy Sheppard.
In 2004, Freddy Shepherd, announced that the 2004 – 2005 season would be Robsons last in charge of the club, but following a poor start to the season, he was sacked by Freddy Sheppard, afterwards, Sheppard said:-
“the hardest thing I have ever done in my life”, I didn’t want to be known as the man who shot Bambi.”
The dismissal of Robson, was the beginning of Newcastle’s troubles and the club has sunk massively since Robson left. Robson was still held in extremely high regard by the Toon Army, and in March 2005 was given the Freedom of the City. He was also made life president of Ipswich Town in 2006, where a statue of him was erected outside Portman Road.
Robson was given a Lifetime Achievement Award at the BBC‘s Sports Personality of the Year awards in 2007, for “his contributions as both player and manager in a career spanning more than half a century”. The award was presented to him by his fiend Alex Ferguson, host, Gary Lineker, introduced him as simply:-
“the gaffer”
Robson had battled cancer several times in his life, defeating colon cancer in 1992, brain cancer in 1996, and following a ski accident in 2006, they found cancer in his lung and brain, an operation to remove his brain tumour, left him paralyzed down his left side. In 2007, it was found that the tumours in his lungs were inoperable.
When he admitted his cancer was terminal he said:-
“I have accepted what they have told me and I am determined to make the most of what time I have left. I am going to die sooner rather than later. But then everyone has to go some time, and I have enjoyed every minute.”
In 2008, Bobby Robson, decided to dedicate what was left of his life to raising money for charity and founded the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation in March 2008, which raised over £1 million by November that year, which was used to fund equipment for the Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre, in the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne, and would go on to fund other cancer projects in the North East of England.
Just a few days ago the Sir Bobby Robson Trophy match at St James’ Park, was played, featuring players from the original 1990 World Cup squads and various celebrities. The game was a sell out and raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for the Foundation, and in defiance of advice by doctors he attended the match in a wheelchair, where he received a guard of honour and was awarded the Emerald UEFA Order of Merit award.
Wor Bobby died at his County Durham home, with his loving wife of more than 50 years Lady Elsie.
Bobby Robson, a true Geordie legend.
“There’s only one Bobby Robson, There’s only one Bobby Robson, walking along singing a song walking in a Robson Wonderland”
I will sign off with a Prayer for the departed written by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá:-
“O my God! O my God! Verily, thy servant, humble before the majesty of Thy divine supremacy, lowly at the door of Thy oneness, hath believed in Thee and in Thy verses, hath testified to Thy word, hath been enkindled with the fire of Thy love, hath been immersed in the depths of the ocean of Thy knowledge, hath been attracted by Thy breezes, hath relied upon Thee, hath turned his face to Thee, hath offered his supplications to Thee, and hath been assured of Thy pardon and forgiveness. He hath abandoned this mortal life and hath flown to the kingdom of immortality, yearning for the favor of meeting Thee.
O Lord, glorify his station, shelter him under the pavilion of Thy supreme mercy, cause him to enter Thy glorious paradise, and perpetuate his existence in Thine exalted rose garden, that he may plunge into the sea of light in the world of mysteries.
Verily, Thou art the Generous, the Powerful, the Forgiver and the Bestower.”
