 Robson in 1988 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Robert William Robson | ||
| Date of birth | (1933-02-18)18 February 1933 | ||
| Place of birth | Sacriston, County Durham, England | ||
| Date of death | 31 July 2009(2009-07-31) (aged 76) | ||
| Place of death | Beamish, County Durham, England | ||
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Inside forward | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1950–1956 | Fulham | 152 | (68) |
| 1956–1962 | West Bromwich Albion | 239 | (56) |
| 1962–1967 | Fulham | 192 | (9) |
| 1967–1968 | Vancouver Royal Canadians | 0 | (0) |
| Total | 583 | (133) | |
| International career | |||
| 1957–1962 | England | 20 | (4) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1967 | Vancouver Royal Canadians | ||
| 1968 | Fulham | ||
| 1969–1982 | Ipswich Town | ||
| 1982–1990 | England | ||
| 1990–1992 | PSV Eindhoven | ||
| 1992–1994 | Sporting CP | ||
| 1994–1996 | Porto | ||
| 1996–1997 | Barcelona | ||
| 1998–1999 | PSV Eindhoven | ||
| 1999–2004 | Newcastle United | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Sir Robert William Robson (18 February 1933 – 31 July 2009)[2] was an Englishfootball player and coach. His career included periods playing for and later managing theEngland national team and being aUEFA Cup-winning manager atIpswich Town.
Robson's professional playing career as aninside forward spanned nearly 20 years, during which he played for three clubs:Fulham,West Bromwich Albion, and, briefly,Vancouver Royals. He also made 20 appearances for England, scoring four goals. After his playing career, he found success as both a club and international manager, winning league championships in both the Netherlands and Portugal, earning trophies in England and Spain, and taking England to thesemi-finals of the1990 FIFA World Cup, which remained the national team's best run in a World Cup since1966 until they reached the semi-finals of the2018 World Cup. His last management role was as a mentor to the manager of theRepublic of Ireland national team, while his final official club job was at boyhood clubNewcastle United, whom he left in 2004. He held several managerial positions outside of England, most notably one year atBarcelona in 1996–97, as well as stints atPSV,Sporting CP andPorto.
Robson was created aKnight Bachelor in 2002, was inducted as a member of theEnglish Football Hall of Fame in 2003, and was the honorary president of Ipswich Town. From 1991 onwards, he had recurrent medical problems with cancer, and in March 2008, put his name and efforts into theSir Bobby Robson Foundation, a cancer research charity which had raised over £12 million as of March 2018.[3] In August 2008, his lung cancer was confirmed to be terminal; he said, "My condition is described as static and has not altered since my last bout ofchemotherapy... I am going to die sooner rather than later. But then everyone has to go sometime and I have enjoyed every minute."[4] He died just under a year later, in July 2009.
Bobby Robson was born on 18 February 1933 inSacriston, County Durham, the fourth of five sons of Philip and Lilian Robson (née Watt).[5] When he was a few months old, Robson's family moved to the nearby village ofLangley Park where his father was a coal miner. Their two-bedroom house had no bath and anoutside toilet.[6] As a boy, he was often taken by his father to watchNewcastle United play atSt James' Park on Saturday afternoons, requiring a 34-mile round trip.[6][7][8] Robson describedJackie Milburn andLen Shackleton as his childhood heroes.[7] Both played for Newcastle in the inside-forward position, the position Robson would later assume during his playing career.
Robson attended Langley Park Primary School and thenWaterhousessecondary modern school, after failing hiseleven-plus but the headmaster did not allow the school football team to join a league.[9] Instead, he began to play for Langley Park Juniors on Saturday mornings at age 11, and by the time he was 15, he was representing the club at under-18 level.[10] Robson played football whenever he possibly could but left school aged 15 to start work as an electrician's apprentice for theNational Coal Board in the Langley Parkcolliery.[6][11] In May 1950,Bill Dodgin, the manager ofFulham, made a personal visit to the Robson household to offer Bobby a professional contract. Despite being offered a contract by nearbyMiddlesbrough, the offer made by Dodgin was too attractive to turn down, so he signed for Fulham and moved to London,[12][13][14] playing as a wing half and inside forward.[15] Robson had also interested his beloved Newcastle, but he opted to join Fulham as, in his opinion, "Newcastle made no appreciable effort to secure [my] signature." He also thought he stood a better chance of breaking into the first team at Fulham.[6] Robson hadpartial deafness in one ear, which rendered him ineligible to be called up fornational service.[16]
Although Robson had signed professionally, his father insisted he continue to work as an electrician. He spent the day working at theFestival of Britain site and trained three nights a week at Fulham.[17] Eventually, this took its toll on Robson and he gave up his trade for full-time professional football.[18]
In 1950, Robson made his first-team debut for Fulham, recently promoted to theFirst Division, in a match againstSheffield Wednesday.[19] He came to regard Fulham as "a nice club, a social club...", but "never... a serious, championship-challenging club".[20] Indeed, he and Fulham were relegated from the top-flight in the1951–52 season,[21] but he made his return to the First Division, four years later, when he signed forVic Buckingham'sWest Bromwich Albion in March 1956.[12][22] The transfer fee of £25,000 was a club record for West Brom at the time.[23][24]
He made his West Brom debut in a 4–0 home defeat toManchester City on 10 March 1956.[25] In1957–58, he was the club's top league goalscorer; his tally of 24 goals included four in a 5–1 win againstBurnley.[26][27] Often playing as amidfielder, he went on to play 257 matches and score 61 goals for West Brom,[6] and he captained the team for the1960–61 and1961–62 seasons.[28] However, in August 1962, he returned to Fulham after a disagreement with West Brom vice-chairman Jim Gaunt over his salary.[29][30] The ongoing dispute over both minimum and maximum wages in the game, instigated by Robson's teammateJimmy Hill and theProfessional Footballers' Association, combined with the birth of Robson's second son, prompted Robson to demand a higher salary.[31] Gaunt refused to negotiate Robson's contract, so Robson placed a transfer request and was sold to Fulham for £20,000 in a deal which doubled his salary.[32] Soon after Robson joined Fulham, the club soldAlan Mullery andRodney Marsh, meaning Robson's chances of securing any significant honour there were substantially reduced.[33] Robson himself stated, "In all my time as a footballer, I didn't win a thing."[33]
Despite press reports of interest fromArsenal,[34] and the offer of aplayer-manager role bySouthend United,[35] Robson left Fulham in 1967 and accepted a three-year deal with Canada'sVancouver Royals. He was to be player-manager in their inaugural 1968 season in theNorth American Soccer League (NASL) and believed it "was a chance too good to miss".[12][36] He began scouting and holding tryout camps for the new team in late 1967.[37] The position proved difficult; a long-distance joint-ownership agreement gave the Hungarian footballerFerenc Puskás control over the San Francisco section of the squad,[38] while Robson took care of the Vancouver squad. Robson was dissatisfied by this situation and when, in January 1968, Fulham offered him a contract as their manager, he accepted the position atCraven Cottage.[39]
During his first spell at Fulham, Robson participated in two ambassadorial Football Association tours in theWest Indies in 1955 and South Africa in 1956.[19] However, it was during his time at West Bromwich Albion that he graduated to the fullEngland squad, with his first call-up in 1956. His manager, Vic Buckingham, advocated the "push and run" approach to the game, a precursor to "total football",[40] and playing this, Robson graduated to the full England squad in 1956,[41] It was also at West Brom when Robson met future England international and assistant coachDon Howe.[42]
Robson went on to make 20 appearances for the England national team, making his debut in a November 1957 victory againstFrance, scoring twice in a 4–0 victory.[43] Although he made a successful debut, he was dropped for England's next match, againstScotland, in favour ofBobby Charlton.[44] However, Robson was selected for the1958 FIFA World Cup squad, ahead ofNat Lofthouse andStanley Matthews, but returned from host nation Sweden disappointed after England were defeated by theSoviet Union in a group play-off match.[45]
Following the World Cup, Robson became an established member of the England squad, enjoying considerable success in a period between October 1960 and March 1961 when he played in six England victories, including scoring a goal in the record 9–3 defeat of Scotland atWembley Stadium.[46] He was selected for the1962 World Cup finals in Chile, but an injury to his ankle sustained in a pre-tournament friendly against a Chilean club side ruled him out of most of the tournament. As Robson recalled, "I never played for England again... my international career was unfulfilled."[47] His place in the England team was taken byBobby Moore.[6]
In 1959, the thenEngland manager andthe Football Association (FA) director of coaching,Walter Winterbottom, suggested to Robson that he take a coaching course atLilleshall.[42] He obtained coaching qualifications during his second spell at Fulham, and coachedOxford University A.F.C.[6] Robson made his debut as a manager in January 1968 at his former club Fulham, againstMacclesfield Town, then in theCheshire County League, in the third round of theFA Cup. Fulham were struggling with 16 points from 24 matches.[48][49] Despite the acquisition of the youngMalcolm Macdonald, Robson could not save the club from relegation to theSecond Division,[50][51] and he left them in November[52] with the club sitting eighth in the Second Division. He discovered he had been sacked not from the club itself, but from the headline "Robson sacked" on anEvening Standard placard outsidePutney station.[53]
Robson moved on to Ipswich Town in 1969 and it was there that he established his reputation as a successful manager, supported by the club chairmanJohn Cobbold and then later by his brotherPatrick Cobbold. He was offered the vacant job at the Suffolk club after a chance encounter with Town director Murray Sangster while scouting atPortman Road forChelsea managerDave Sexton.[54]
After four mediocre seasons, Robson led Ipswich to fourth place in the First Division and success in theTexaco Cup in the1972–73 season.[55] In the following nine seasons, Ipswich finished lower than sixth place in the First Division only once, in the1977–78 season. However, that season was a success with a 1–0 victory over Arsenal in theFA Cup final.[56] His reign at Ipswich lasted 13 years, during which time the club twice finished as League runners-up, and made regular appearances in European competitions, winning theUEFA Cup in1981 with a 5–4aggregate victory over Dutch sideAZ 67 Alkmaar.[57] About that team, Robson said: "We played with two strikers, no wingers, Eric Gates sitting off the front two, two semi-wide midfield players in Arnold Muhren and Frans Thijssen and Johnny Wark sitting in the holding role".[58] During his 13-year tenure, he brought in only 14 players from other clubs, most notablyAllan Hunter,Bryan Hamilton andPaul Mariner, relying instead on players developed through Ipswich's youth programmes,[15] includingTerry Butcher,George Burley,John Wark,Mick Mills,Colin Viljoen,Alan Brazil,Trevor Whymark,Brian Talbot,Kevin Beattie andEric Gates, who all went on to play international football. His imports included Dutch playersFrans Thijssen andArnold Mühren.[6] Robson "was not a tactical genius" but he "showed a talent for developing new players, with his good interpersonal skills, caring attitude, hard work and enthusiasm helping them to achieve their best".[6]
In 2002, in recognition of his achievements with the club, a life-size statue of Robson was unveiled opposite the Cobbold Stand of Ipswich Town's ground, Portman Road.[59] On 7 July 2006, Robson was named as honorary president of Ipswich Town Football Club, the first since Lady Blanche Cobbold who had died in 1987.[60]
Robson's achievements with Ipswich earned him a job offer from the Football Association for the position of national coach in July 1982, and he declined an offer of a ten-year contract extension and increased salary from Ipswich director Patrick Cobbold.[61] On 7 July 1982, two days after England were knocked out of the1982 World Cup, he succeededRon Greenwood as coach of the England national team,[12][62] selecting former West Bromwich Albion teammate Don Howe as his chief coach.[63]
Robson's first match in charge saw immediate controversy, as he droppedKevin Keegan for the match againstDenmark.[64] On 21 September 1983, Robson suffered his only loss in the 28 qualifying matches he was to undertake as England manager.[65] The defeat, again to Denmark, ultimately led to England's failure to qualify for the1984 European Championships[66] and resulted in Robson offering to resign in favour ofBrian Clough.[67] The resignation was rejected by FA chairmanBert Millichip (primarily down to his and the FA's disdain for the controversial and outspoken Clough), and Robson went on to lead the England team to qualify for the1986 World Cup in Mexico.[68]
England made a slow start at the World Cup, and captainBryan Robson was injured with a recurrence of a dislocated shoulder.[69] Bobby Robson changed the team's tactics for the final match of the first round, selectingPeter Beardsley ahead ofMark Hateley as a strike partner forGary Lineker.[70] The team won its next two matches, againstPoland andParaguay, 3–0, and qualified for the quarter-finals.[71] England were defeated in the last eight byArgentina with a brace of goals fromDiego Maradona, the infamous"Hand of God" goal and the "Goal of the Century" he scored five minutes later.[71] Robson was unimpressed by Maradona's claim of divine intervention:[72]
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's England dropped only one point in qualifying forEuro 1988, which included an 8–0 victory overTurkey.[66] However, this was followed by failure at the tournament itself, held in West Germany, where England were eliminated in the group stage. They finished bottom of theirgroup, succumbing to defeats against theRepublic of Ireland, the eventual winners, theNetherlands, and the eventual runners-up, the Soviet Union.[73] Robson was vilified by the British press, and after a draw in a friendly withSaudi Arabia in November 1988, one newspaper demanded, "In the name of Allah, go."[74] Again Robson submitted his resignation, and again it was rejected by Millichip (again the FA's unwillingness to offer the job to Brian Clough is often cited as a reason).[75]
Robson led England without conceding a goal throughthe six-match qualification for the1990 World Cup where they were one of six seeded teams.[76] Again they were placed in a group with the Netherlands and the Republic of Ireland, withEgypt the fourth side.[77] As in the 1986 World Cup, Robson was denied the service of his captain, Bryan Robson, who injured hisachilles tendon which prevented him playing in the latter stages of the tournament.[78] England topped their group, accumulating four points from their three matches.[79] However, their progress was not without controversy. England changed formation from their traditional 4–4–2 to 5–3–2 incorporating asweeper, with some sources suggesting this was due to player revolt after the 1–1 draw in the first match with the Republic of Ireland.[80] Robson denied this claim:[81]
...I made the switch, not them. I had no intention of allowingvan Basten andGullit to rip holes in us...
This was followed by victories overBelgium andCameroon in the knock-out stages, to set up a semi-final withWest Germany.[79] England lost the match on apenalty shoot-out, after the score had been tied at 1–1 followingextra time.[82] Robson said afterwards: "[N]ot a day goes by when [he] does not think about the semi-final and other choices [he] might have made."[12][83] Robson was the second coach, afterAlf Ramsey, to take England to a World Cup semi-final, and the first coach to do so on foreign soil, an achievement not equalled untilGareth Southgate's team reached the semi-finals of the2018 World Cup.[84]
Robson's final game in charge of England was the third-place play off against hostsItaly, which England lost 2–1. He then took on the role as manager of PSV Eindhoven, andGraham Taylor was announced as his successor.
Before the 1990 World Cup, the FA told Robson it would not renew his contract as England manager, so he moved to the Netherlands to coachPSV Eindhoven,[12][62] succeeding managerGuus Hiddink, who had left the team after leading them toEuropean Cup victory and four consecutiveEredivisie titles. PSV sought a manager capable of instilling discipline into a fractious squad, much as Hiddink had done previously.[85] Robson described the move as "a culture shock" but felt "a sense of adventure".[86] News of Robson's new position in the Netherlands became public before the start of the 1990 World Cup, leading totabloid stories impugning Robson's patriotism; he suedToday for calling him a "traitor".[6]
The Dutch penchant for tactical debate surprised Robson. In an interview withVoetbal International, he lamented: "An English pro accepts the manager's decision. After every match here, the substitutes come and visit me."[87] Another of his challenges at PSV was handling theBrazilian internationalRomário. Robson became frustrated with the Brazilian's work ethic, although admitted "in some matches he would be scintillating".[88] Robson arranged showdown talks with Romário, withFrank Arnesen, Robson's assistant, acting as a translator. The talks proved unsuccessful, with Romário unwilling to change his lifestyle.[89] Despite this, PSV won the Eredivisie in both the1990–91 and1991–92 seasons. However, the team did not make the progress expected by the board in European competitions and Robson was informed he would be leaving the club at the end of the 1991–92 season.[90]
Robson moved toSporting CP in July 1992, where his Portugueseinterpreter was a youngJosé Mourinho. Robson guided the club to a third-place finish in his first season in charge while admitting the club was in "a terrible state". He described the club's president as a "loose cannon" who frequently signed players without Robson's consent.[91] Robson was sacked in December 1993, with the club sitting at the top of the league table. Club presidentSousa Cintra cited the club's early exit from theUEFA Cup, at the hands ofCasino Salzburg, as the reason for his dismissal.[92]
Sporting CP's rivals Porto quickly hired Robson, with Mourinho appointed as his assistant manager. Living in the same apartment block at the time was another future Porto, Chelsea andTottenham Hotspur manager, the youngAndré Villas-Boas, who, aged 16, introduced himself to Robson. Robson subsequently appointed Villas-Boas to work in the Porto observation department and helped him gain his UEFA "C" coaching badge in Scotland, despite him technically being ineligible as he was aged 17.[93][94] Porto were in a poor state when Robson arrived and the average attendance had dwindled to 10,000.[95] The club promptly went on to beat Robson's former club, Sporting CP, in theTaça de Portugal final,[12][96] following that achievement with successiveLeague titles in the1994–95 and1995–96 seasons.[97]
Such was the impact of Robson at Porto, he became known to the locals as "Bobby Five-O" in honour of the number of matches Porto won 5–0,[98] and he signed a new contract with the club in 1995.[98] Robson hadmelanoma and missed the first few months of the 1995–96 season. He still successfully led Porto in defence of their league title.[99]
A phone call during the summer of 1996 fromBarcelona vice-presidentJoan Gaspart to discussLuís Figo resulted in an offer of employment with the Spanish club.[100] Robson took over in July 1996, where again his assistant was Mourinho; Robson had made Mourinho's move with him to theCamp Nou a condition of his employment.[99] One of the key decisions Robson made during his brief tenure at Barcelona was the US$19.5 million signing ofRonaldo,[101] who was influential in aseason when Barcelona won theCopa del Rey,Supercopa de España andUEFA Cup Winners' Cup.[102] Robson himself was voted European Manager of the Year for 1996–97, while Ronaldo stated, "as a trainer without doubt [Robson] is one of the greatest in the world".[103]
The 1997–98 season saw Robson moved "upstairs" to the general manager position, withLouis van Gaal taking over as manager,[12][104] but Robson stayed in this position for only one season before returning to manage PSV on a short-term deal for the1998–99 season.[105] PSV missed out on the league title, finishing third behindFeyenoord andWillem II,[106] but Robson still led the club to victory in theJohan Cruyff Shield and also qualification for theUEFA Champions League on the last day of the season.[107]
After Robson's contract with PSV expired, he returned to England to take up a position in the Football Association's technical department.[108] Following the resignation ofRuud Gullit as Newcastle United manager, Robson moved to St James' Park in September 1999.[109] Robson was disappointed with the club's opening salary offer, stating, "[I]t was miles below the going rate," but negotiated a one-year, £1 million deal.[110]
In Robson's first home match in charge, bottom-placed Newcastle faced second bottom Sheffield Wednesday, thrashing them 8–0. In his first season in charge,1999–2000, Robson led the club to an 11th-place finish, with 14 wins from his 32 matches in charge.[110][111] In late 2000, following the resignation of ex-Magpies boss Kevin Keegan as England manager, the FA asked Newcastle club chairmanFreddy Shepherd to permit Robson to take over in a part-timecaretaker capacity, but the request was refused.[112] Robson guided Newcastle from bottom of thePremier League to a fourth-place finish in the2001–02 season.[113] The following season, Newcastle finished third, ensuring qualification for the UEFA Champions League for the second consecutive year.[114]However, Robson was unable to guide Newcastle through the Champions League qualifying rounds, and the club was dropped to participate in theUEFA Cup for the 2003–04 season.[115] At the end of the2003–04 season, Newcastle finished fifth in the table, five points short of the Champions League qualifying fourth place but reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup before losing toMarseille.[116]
Robson held the Newcastle post until 30 August 2004, when he was dismissed by Freddy Shepherd, after a poor start to the Premier League season and alleged discontent in the dressing room.[117] Robson's dismissal followed publication of hisoff the record observation of his disappointment that only 5,000 fans stayed to see the traditional lap of honour made by the players at St James' Park at the end of the previous season.[118] However, he remains held in the highest esteem by some fans;[119] he was granted theFreedom of the City ofNewcastle upon Tyne on 2 March 2005.[120]
What is a club in any case? Not the buildings or the directors or the people who are paid to represent it. It's not the television contracts, get-out clauses, marketing departments or executive boxes. It's the noise, the passion, the feeling of belonging, the pride in your city. It's a small boy clambering up stadium steps for the very first time, gripping his father's hand, gawping at that hallowed stretch of turf beneath him and, without being able to do a thing about it, falling in love.
– Robson[121]
Robson's second autobiography, entitledBobby Robson: Farewell but not Goodbye was released in 2005.[122] The title is based on one of his quotes upon leaving the England job in 1990: "I'm here to say goodbye—maybe not goodbye but farewell."[123] Robson was critical of Shepherd in the book, claiming that he was denied information regarding the players' contracts and transfer negotiations by Shepherd while Robson was manager.[124] He also criticised Shepherd and the club's deputy chairmanDouglas Hall, for their focus on the first team and St James' Park, causing them to neglect less glamorous issues, such as the training ground, youth development and talent scouts.[125] The club's training ground was later blamed byGraeme Souness, Robson's successor, for a series of injuries to first team players.[126]
On 7 June 2005, Robson declined the invitation to become director of football ofHeart of Midlothian because he wanted to stay in the Newcastle area.[127] On 13 January 2006,Steve Staunton was appointed manager of the Republic of Ireland national team, with Robson named in a support role as "international football consultant".[128] Robson stepped down from his role of consultant on 17 November 2007 following the nation's final match in their unsuccessful qualifying campaign forEuro 2008.[129] Robson was a former vice president of theLeague Managers Association, a non-executive role.[130]
Robson was known for his man-management skills, his composed and demanding yet caring style as a coach, and for his ability to motivate his players and build positive relationships with them, making him a well-liked figure among fans and players alike.[131][132][133][134][135] His profile on the website of the "National Football Museum Hall of Fame" describes him as "a tough taskmaster," who was "fiercely loyal to those who gave their all, and never failed to get the very best out of his players."[136] Gary Lineker opined that Robson "wasn't the greatest tactician of world football," but that "he had a good understanding of the game," describing him with the following words: "He was fiercely loyal to the players who served him well, he understood the game and he had this magnetic enthusiasm, not just for football, but for everything in life. You just wanted to go out there and run yourself into the ground for him and the team."[137] Mourinho, who initially served as an interpreter and later as an assistant coach under Robson at Barcelona, praised him for his leadership and for his methodology in the attacking phase of the game.[138] His style also influenced Villas-Boas, who worked under him at Porto.[139] Robson often used a4–4–2 formation throughout his career.[139][140] At Ipswich Town, however, he had used a 4–4–2 diamond, without wingers, and with a holding midfielder, and an attacking midfielder behind the strikers.[141] During the 1990 World Cup, he also changed England's set-up and used a3–5–2/5–3–2 formation with asweeper.[142][143]
Robson met Elsie Gray on a trip back to his parents' home in Langley Park.[6] Gray was a student nurse, and later a teacher.[6] They were married on 25 June 1955[6] with Fulham teammateTom Wilson as Robson'sbest man.[104]
After 1991, Robson was repeatedly diagnosed with cancer. He had several operations and in 2006 was operated on for a brain tumour.[144] This, on occasion, affected his work; while at Porto, for example, Robson had melanoma, which resulted in his missing the first few months of the 1995–96 season.[145][146]On 17 October 2006, it was revealed that Robson had been given the all-clear and was set to see out his contract as consultant to the Irish team.[147] Robson revealed on 7 May 2007 he had been diagnosed with cancer for the fifth time.[148] On 17 May 2008, Robson was the guest of honour at the2008 FA Cup Final atWembley Stadium whenPortsmouth defeatedCardiff City 1–0. He presented the trophy to the victorious captain,Sol Campbell.[149]
Robson made a number of product endorsements, including an appearance inCarlsberg's "Best Pub Side" television commercial.[150] He also acted as apundit forITV during the2002 World Cup andEuro 2004.[151]
Robson defeatedbowel cancer in 1992, a melanoma in 1995, as well as atumour in his right lung and a brain tumour, both in 2006. Treatment of these conditions had left him partiallyparalysed due to a stroke caused by the brain tumour, and also with a partiallyprosthetic upper jaw after the melanoma was surgically removed. His fifth diagnosis of cancer in 2007, consisting of cancerous nodules in both lungs, was diagnosed asterminal in February 2007, and as of December 2008, was being controlled through bouts ofchemotherapy.[152] After these experiences, and following his fifth diagnosis with cancer, Robson devoted the remaining years of his life to helping fight the disease. On 25 March 2008, he launched theSir Bobby Robson Foundation. The Foundation raised over £1 million,[6] which funded equipment for the Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre, in theFreeman Hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne, and would go on to fund other cancer projects in the North East of England.[153]
In aid of the Foundation, Robson's 1990 World Cup semi-final4–3 loss after penalties against West Germany was replayed on 26 July 2009 as theSir Bobby Robson Trophy match at St James' Park, featuring players from theoriginal 1990 World Cup squads and other special guests.[154][155] Robson was given a guard of honour before the match, which finished 3–2 to the England side.[156]
At the time of Robson's death, the Foundation had raised £1.6 million.[157] Donations totalling £156,000 were received by the Foundation in the 18 days following his death,[158] and on 15 October 2009, it was announced the Foundation had raised over £2 million, and that at the request of Robson's family,Alan Shearer would take over Robson's role as the Foundation's patron.[159] It passed the £2.5 million mark in September 2010.[160] Three other patrons were added in 2010,Steve Gibson,Mick Mills andNiall Quinn.[161][162][163]
On 31 July 2009, Robson died of lung cancer at his home inBeamish, County Durham,[6][164] aged 76, after a long battle with the disease.[2] After the news of his death, leading figures from the world of football and politics paid tribute to him. Manchester United managerSir Alex Ferguson called him a "great friend, a wonderful individual and tremendous football man".UEFA presidentMichel Platini said: "He will be remembered not only for his playing career and his outstanding managerial career at both club and international level, but also because he was a truly warm and passionate human being." Gary Lineker said, "It is a sad day and a great loss. He was a wonderful man and will be deeply missed by everybody in the country. I never played for a more enthusiastic man. He gave so much to the game."[165] FormerPrime Minister of the United KingdomTony Blair described Robson as a "real Geordie gentleman".[166] According to the then-Prime MinisterGordon Brown, Robson "epitomised everything that is great about football in this country".[166] His friend, the broadcasterMichael Parkinson, said, "Robson will be remembered long after the present lot are old bones. By his decency, his humour, his love of the game's traditions and origins and confusion at what it had become, he made present day football look what it is – shabby by comparison. I can think of no more fitting epitaph."[167]
Robson's funeral, a private family ceremony, took place on 5 August 2009. The location remained undisclosed at the request of his family until the funeral had taken place. It was later revealed to beEsh, County Durham.[168] A thanksgiving service for Robson was held on 21 September 2009 atDurham Cathedral. One thousand invited guests attended the service, which was also broadcast live on national television, and to Newcastle United's St James' Park, Ipswich Town's Portman Road ground and Fulham's Craven Cottage.[104]Robson was survived by his wife and their three sons: Andrew, Paul and Mark.[104][169]
Robson was awarded a number of honours for his contributions to football. In 1990, at the end of his eight-year reign as England manager, he was appointed aCBE in 1991[170] and in 2002, he wasknighted;[171] both awards were for services to football.[172][173]
In 2002 (during his time as Newcastle manager), the 69-year-old Robson was awarded thefreedom of Newcastle upon Tyne and theUEFA President's Award for "services to football".[14][25] He was inducted into theEnglish Football Hall of Fame in 2003 in recognition of his impact as a manager.[174] Following his time as Newcastle United manager in 2005, Robson was made an Honorary Freeman of Newcastle,[120] which, in his autobiography, he described as being "the proudest moment of my life".[175] Robson also won the 1992 Football Writers' Association Tribute Award for an outstanding contribution to the national game,[176] and the 2001 British Sports Writers' Association Pat Besford Trophy for Outstanding Achievement.[173] In 2005, he received a lifetime achievement award from the Sports Coach UK Awards,[177] and was also awarded the Eircom International Personality of the Year in 2006.[172] On 9 December 2007, Robson was awarded theLifetime Achievement Award at theBBC'sSports Personality of the Year show in recognition of "his contribution as both player and manager in a career spanning more than half a century".[178]
On 5 May 2008, during the 30th anniversary celebrations of Ipswich Town's 1978 FA Cup win, Robson was granted the Freedom ofIpswich by the Lady Mayor.[179] On 8 December 2008, he earned another such accolade when he was given the Freedom of theCity of Durham.[180] In March 2009, UEFA awarded Robson the Emerald UEFA Order of Merit award, awarded to "individuals who have dedicated their talents to the good of the game".[181] The award was presented to Robson at St James' Park on 26 July 2009, prior to the Sir Bobby Robson Trophy match, and just five days before his death.[156]
In December 2009, Robson was posthumously awarded theFIFA Fair Play Award, for the "gentlemanly qualities he showed throughout his career as a player and coach".[182] All English football league matches held aone minute's applause in his memory at the beginning of the 2009–10 season.[6]
The Football League gave Newcastle United and Ipswich Town special dispensation to wear special commemorative kits for theirChampionship match on 26 September 2009 at Portman Road, in aid of Sir Bobby's Foundation. At half-time during this match, the North Stand of Portman Road was renamed the Sir Bobby Robson Stand.[183][184][185]
The first anniversary of Robson's death on 31 July 2010 was marked with a ceremony and pre-seasonfriendly match at Newcastle's St James' Park, between two of his former clubs Newcastle United and PSV Eindhoven, involving Robson's PSV captainStan Valckx presenting a PSV shirt to the club.[186]
In July 2010, plans were unveiled for a memorial garden to Robson to be built in Newcastle. It was to be created by the city council in partnership with the regeneration company NE1Ltd, and located onGallowgate street close to the Newcastle United stadium St James' Park. Work began on the site in November 2010, which was completed by Spring 2011. The garden covers 400 square meters, and features a tiered seating area and sculpted stone plinths reflecting aspects of his life and work. The area also hosts 400 square metre memorial garden to Sir Bobby Robson.[187][188]
With a keen interest in cricket as well as football, Robson was to have replacedMike Gatting as president of theLord's Taverners charity and cricket club in 2007, but this was prevented by his ill-health. After his death, the club held a dinner in his honour, as "The best President we never had".[189]
In March 2011, theEast Coast train operating companynamed one of itsClass 91 electric locomotivesSir Bobby Robson, unveiled atNewcastle station by his widow Elsie and Alan Shearer.[190][191] Similarly, in December 2011, thePort of Tyne Authority named its new work boat theSir Bobby Robson.[192] On 6 May 2012, a statue of Robson created by sculptorTom Maley was unveiled at St James' Park before a 2–0 defeat to eventual champions Manchester City.[193] On 16 July 2013, marking the 150th anniversary celebrations of the FA, the FA designated 10 August as the Sir Bobby Robson National Football Day, celebrated as a day to celebrate the national game.[194] In 2018,Bobby Robson: More Than A Manager, a feature-length British film about Robson's career and cancer diagnosis, was released to critical acclaim.[195]
In September 2020, the Sir Bobby Robson School opened in Ipswich. The school will serve children aged 8–16 with social, emotional and mental health needs.[196]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Fulham | 1950–51 | First Division | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| 1951–52 | First Division | 16 | 3 | — | — | 16 | 3 | |||
| 1952–53 | Second Division | 35 | 19 | 1 | 0 | — | 36 | 19 | ||
| 1953–54 | Second Division | 33 | 13 | 1 | 1 | — | 34 | 14 | ||
| 1954–55 | Second Division | 42 | 23 | 1 | 0 | — | 43 | 23 | ||
| 1955–56 | Second Division | 25 | 10 | 2 | 0 | — | 27 | 10 | ||
| Total | 152 | 68 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 157 | 69 | ||
| West Bromwich Albion | 1955–56 | First Division | 10 | 1 | — | — | 10 | 1 | ||
| 1956–57 | First Division | 39 | 12 | 2 | 1 | — | 41 | 13 | ||
| 1957–58 | First Division | 41 | 24 | 7 | 3 | — | 48 | 27 | ||
| 1958–59 | First Division | 29 | 4 | 1 | 1 | — | 30 | 5 | ||
| 1959–60 | First Division | 41 | 6 | 3 | 0 | — | 44 | 6 | ||
| 1960–61 | First Division | 40 | 5 | 1 | 0 | — | 41 | 5 | ||
| 1961–62 | First Division | 39 | 4 | 4 | 0 | — | 43 | 4 | ||
| Total | 239 | 56 | 18 | 5 | — | 257 | 61 | |||
| Fulham | 1962–63 | First Division | 34 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 38 | 2 |
| 1963–64 | First Division | 39 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 1 | |
| 1964–65 | First Division | 42 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 47 | 2 | |
| 1965–66 | First Division | 36 | 6 | — | 3 | 0 | 39 | 6 | ||
| 1966–67 | First Division | 41 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 47 | 0 | |
| Total | 192 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 213 | 11 | ||
| Vancouver Royals | 1967 | North American Soccer League | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 1968 | North American Soccer League | — | — | — | — | |||||
| Career total | 583 | 133 | 32 | 7 | 12 | 1 | 627 | 141 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | 1957 | 1 | 2 |
| 1958 | 4 | 0 | |
| 1960 | 6 | 0 | |
| 1961 | 8 | 2 | |
| 1962 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 20 | 4 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27 November 1957 | Wembley Stadium, London, England |  France | 2–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
| 2 | 4–0 | |||||
| 3 | 15 April 1961 | Wembley Stadium, London, England |  Scotland | 1–0 | 9–3 | 1961 British Home Championship |
| 4 | 10 May 1961 | Wembley Stadium, London, England |  Mexico | 3–0 | 8–0 | Friendly |
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % | ||||
| Fulham |  | January 1968 | November 1968 | 36 | 6 | 9 | 21 | 016.67 |
| Ipswich Town[55] | | 13 January 1969 | 18 August 1982 | 709 | 316 | 173 | 220 | 044.57 |
| England[199] | | July 1982 | July 1990 | 95 | 47 | 30 | 18 | 049.47 |
| PSV Eindhoven |  | July 1990 | June 1992 | 76 | 52 | 17 | 7 | 068.42 |
| Sporting CP |  | 1 July 1992 | 7 December 1993 | 59 | 34 | 13 | 12 | 057.63 |
| Porto | | 30 January 1994 | 13 July 1996 | 120 | 86 | 23 | 11 | 071.67 |
| Barcelona |  | May 1996 | June 1997 | 58 | 38 | 12 | 8 | 065.52 |
| PSV Eindhoven | | July 1998 | June 1999 | 47 | 24 | 12 | 11 | 051.06 |
| Newcastle United | | 2 September 1999[200] | 30 August 2004[201] | 255 | 119 | 64 | 72 | 046.67 |
| Total | 1,455 | 722 | 353 | 380 | 049.62 | |||
England
Ipswich Town
PSV Eindhoven
Porto
Barcelona
Newcastle United
England
Individual
Its first goal is to raise the money urgently required to set up the Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre at the new Northern Centre for Cancer Care. The money raised will fund dedicated research facilities including a 12-bed unit with treatment rooms, a state-of-the-art laboratory and consulting facilities, all of which is being constructed by the NHS Trust at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle. Once the foundation has raised sufficient funds to set up the centre, all additional money will go towards cancer-related projects in the North East. The charity has raised more than £260,000 in just over two weeks...
Sir Bobby Robson is hoping to settle an old score after England and Germany players who contested the heart-breaking 1990 World Cup semi-final agreed to re-stage the epic game to boost his fund-raising efforts.
...the match, which will take place on July 26 at St James' Park...As well as reuniting 1990 England players, Sir Bobby is also planning on calling on some other famous guests to add to his team. He said: "I'm very grateful to my former players who are coming up to Newcastle to help us raise money for my charity. I'm also very appreciative of the efforts of the German players who have so much further to travel.
The Sir Bobby Robson National Football Day will take place on 10 August 2013
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