.jpg) Robson in 2009 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Bryan Robson[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1957-01-11)11 January 1957 (age 68)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Chester-le-Street, England | ||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[3] | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Manchester United (global ambassador) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1972–1975 | West Bromwich Albion | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1975–1981 | West Bromwich Albion | 198 | (40) |
| 1981–1994 | Manchester United | 345 | (74) |
| 1994–1997 | Middlesbrough | 25 | (1) |
| Total | 568 | (115) | |
| International career | |||
| 1975 | England Youth | 9 | (0) |
| 1979–1980 | England U21 | 7 | (2) |
| 1979–1980 | England B | 3 | (1) |
| 1980–1991 | England | 90 | (26) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1994–2001 | Middlesbrough | ||
| 2003–2004 | Bradford City | ||
| 2004–2006 | West Bromwich Albion | ||
| 2007–2008 | Sheffield United | ||
| 2009–2011 | Thailand | ||
| 2009–2011 | Thailand U23 | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Bryan RobsonOBE (born 11 January 1957) is an English formerfootball manager and player. He began his career withWest Bromwich Albion in 1972, where he amassed over 200 appearances and was club captain, before moving toManchester United in 1981, where he became the longest-serving captain in the club's history. He won twoPremier Leagues, threeFA Cups, oneFootball League Cup, twoFA Charity Shields and aEuropean Cup Winners' Cup during his time there. Nicknamed"Captain Marvel",[4] Robson was voted the greatest ever Manchester United player in August 2011 in a poll of the club's former players.[5] He is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders of his generation and one of the greatest English players of all time.
Robson representedEngland 90 times between 1980 and 1991, making him at the time the fifth-mostcapped England player.[6] His goalscoring tally of 26 placed him eighth on the list at the time. He played for England at the1982,1986 and1990World Cups, and atEuro 1988. Robson captained his country 65 times; onlyBobby Moore andBilly Wright have captained England more often.[citation needed]
Robson began his management career as a player-manager withMiddlesbrough in 1994, retiring from playing in 1997. In seven years as Middlesbrough manager, he guided them to threeWembley finals, which were all lost, and earned them promotion to the Premier League twice. Between 1994 and 1996, he also served as assistant coach to England managerTerry Venables, which includedEuro 96.[7][8] He later returned to West Bromwich Albion for two years as manager, helping them become the first top division team in 14 years to avoid relegation after being bottom of the league table on Christmas Day. Less successful have been his short-lived spells as manager ofBradford City andSheffield United, the former lasting barely six months and ending in relegation from what is now theEFL Championship, and the latter lasting less than a year and seeing his expensively-assembled side fail to challenge for promotion to the Premier League. Robson was manager of theThailand national team from 2009 to 2011. He is currently an ambassador for Manchester United.
Robson was born in Northlands,Chester-le-Street,County Durham, to Brian, a long distance lorry-driver, and Maureen Robson.[9] He was the second of four children, after sister Susan and ahead of younger brothers Justin andGary (also footballers).[9] Robson was brought up inWitton Gilbert until he was six, when the family moved to nearby Chester-le-Street, the town where he was born.[9] As a boy, he supportedNewcastle United; his childhood hero was Newcastle forwardWyn Davies.[10] A keen footballer from a young age, he joined the localCub Scout group purely so that he could play for their football team.[11] Robson attended Birtley South Secondary Modern School, and later,Lord Lawson of Beamish comprehensive school, where he competed for the school in athletics and football.[12] He was captain of both his school football team and theWashington and District team.[11] As a teenager, he had trials withBurnley,Coventry City,Sheffield Wednesday, Newcastle United andWest Bromwich Albion.[13]
Robson was in the final academic year of pupils who still had the option of finishing education at the age of 15, and in the summer of 1972, he accepted Albion managerDon Howe's offer of a two-year apprenticeship, worth a wage of £5 per week in the first year and £8 per week in the second year.[14]
Towards the end of the1973–74 season, his second as an apprentice, Robson made his reserve team debut, againstEverton reserves atGoodison Park.[15] He signed a professional contract in the summer of 1974, earning £28 per week plus a £250 signing on fee.[16] During the1974–75 season, he was a regular in Albion's reserve team, but was not selected byDon Howe for the first team.[17] Following Howe's departure with three matches of the season remaining, Robson was called up to the senior team for the first time by caretaker managerBrian Whitehouse. He made his first team debut away atYork City on 12 April 1975 at the age of 18, helping Albion to a 3–1 victory.[18] In the following game, his home debut, he scored his first goal for the club, in a 2–0 win overCardiff City, and also scored in the final match of the season away atNottingham Forest.[18]
During thefollowing season, Robson played only sporadically. He faced stiff competition for midfield places, not least from player-managerJohnny Giles, and was utilised by Giles in various positions, including centre-half, left-back and midfield.[19] Albion finished third in Division Two to win promotion back to the top-flight.
Robson experienced top-flight football for the first time during the1976–77 season, and began to appear more regularly in the side, although he was still alternating between the positions of left back and his preferred central midfield role. His rapid progress was halted when he received the first serious injury of his career. Playing at left back, he broke his left leg in a tackle withTottenham Hotspur strikerChris Jones.[20] Two months later, Robson made his comeback in a reserve game atThe Hawthorns, but the original break was refractured in a challenge withStoke City'sDenis Smith.[20] Again he recovered, and returned to the first team in late December. He went on to enjoy a run in the side and scored his first professionalhat-trick, in a 4–0 win againstIpswich Town on 16 March 1977.[20] One month later, he broke his right ankle in a challenge withManchester City'sDennis Tueart,[20] causing him to pull out of the England under-23 squad following his call-up.[citation needed]
Giles left Albion at the end of the 1976–77 season. His successor, the club's chief scout and former playerRonnie Allen, picked Robson to replace Giles in central midfield. Allen himself left midway through the season and defenderJohn Wile was put in temporary charge. Results worsened and Robson was dropped from the team.[21] He returned to the side under new bossRon Atkinson, whom Robson described as "a down-to-earth, fair-minded, regular bloke".[21] Atkinson did leave Robson out of anFA Cup semi-final againstIpswich Town, but recalled him for the latter stages of the league campaign as Albion qualified for theUEFA Cup. In the1978–79 season, Robson was a key player, starting 41 out of 42 league games and wearing the number 7 shirt in each match.[22] He played a major part in Albion finishing third in Division One, their highest league placing for more than 20 years, and reaching the UEFA Cup quarter-finals. Thefollowing season was a disappointing one by comparison, with the club finishing only 10th in the league, but Robson's performances in midfield helped to earn him his first full England cap in February 1980. In the1980–81 season, he scored ten goals in 40 league games to help Albion to a 4th-place finish in the First Division.
Atkinson left to take over atManchester United in June 1981, and speculation mounted that Robson would either follow him to United or joinBob Paisley'sLiverpool. Albion offered Robson a new contract worth £1,000 per week, but he turned it down and put in a transfer request.[23] His teammateRemi Moses signed for United in September 1981 and Robson followed soon afterwards.
"Money wasn't my main motivation. I simply wanted to be a winner."
Robson moved to United for aBritish record transfer fee of £1.5 million on 1 October 1981 and signed the contract on theOld Trafford pitch two days later before a game againstWolverhampton Wanderers. The record fee set by Robson was not broken for six years, when Liverpool paid £1.9 million for Newcastle strikerPeter Beardsley in the summer of 1987. Robson made his United debut on 7 October 1981 in a 1–0 defeat away atTottenham Hotspur in theLeague Cup.[24] His league debut for his new club came three days later, in a goalless draw againstManchester City atMaine Road. This was his first appearance in the Manchester United number 7 shirt, which he wore for most of his appearances with United.[25] Robson scored his first goal for United on 7 November 1981 in a 5–1 win overSunderland atRoker Park.[25] He ended his first season at United with 32 games and five goals for a United side who finished third in the league.
Robson tore his ankle ligaments during the 1983 League Cup semi-final victory overArsenal, meaning that he missed thefinal, which United lost to Liverpool.[26] He regained his fitness in time for theFA Cup semi-final, again against Arsenal, and scored in a 2–1 win.[27] Thefinal againstBrighton ended in a 2–2 draw. Robson scored twice in the replay, but declined the chance to become the first player in 30 years to score an FA Cup final hat-trick, instead allowing regular penalty takerArnold Muhren to convert a spot-kick to seal a 4–0 victory and enable Robson to lift his first trophy as United captain. Although this was United's fifth FA Cup triumph, Robson was only the second English captain to lift the trophy for United, and their first sinceCharlie Roberts inthe 1909 final; as United had been captained by anIrishman in their1948 and1963 triumphs and aScotsman in1977.[28]
The following season, Robson helped the club enjoy a memorable run in theEuropean Cup Winners' Cup – the club's best European run for 15 years. Robson scored twice in the 3–0 quarter-final second leg victory overBarcelona at Old Trafford, overturning a 2–0 first leg deficit to progress 3–2 on aggregate.[29] He missed both legs of the semi-final defeat byJuventus due to a hamstring injury, but while inTurin for the second leg was given permission by United to speak to Juve regarding a proposed transfer. The move never took place as neither Juventus nor any other club were prepared to meet United's £3 million asking price. Robson's injury also meant that he missed several crucial late season games as United's title challenge slipped away and they finished fourth, with Liverpool becoming champions for the third successive season and 15th time overall.[30] Robson instead extended his contract with United in 1984, signing a seven-year deal worth around £1 million which would keep him there until at least 1991.[31] United emerged as title challengers again the following season, although the title was eventually won byEverton. He captained the club to anotherFA Cup triumph, this time over Everton, where aNorman Whiteside goal in extra time denied their opponents the chance of a unique treble, as they had already won the league title and the European Cup Winners' Cup.
Robson and United began the following season in fine form with ten successive victories which suggested the championship could be on its way back to Old Trafford for the first time since 1967. But their form slipped after Christmas and they finished the season trophyless in fourth place 12 points behind champions Liverpool, 10 points behind runners-up Everton and eight points behind third-placedWest Ham United. Injuries, notably a dislocated shoulder suffering in February 1986, restricted Robson to just 21 out of 42 league appearances for United in1985–86, though he did manage seven goals.
United started the following season badly andRon Atkinson was sacked as manager in November 1986 and replaced byAlex Ferguson. The new manager had almost completely overhauled the squad within three years, but Robson remained firmly part of his plans. United finished second in the league in 1988, nine points behind champions Liverpool, but a frustrating campaign in1988–89 saw them finish 11th. Robson remained largely injury free during these seasons.
In 1990, Robson and United finally got their hands on another major trophy after five years of trying. After an injury-hit campaign where United had struggled in the league, Robson scored United's first goal in theFA Cup final againstCrystal Palace in the first match which ended in a 3–3 draw. United won the replay 1–0 and Robson thus became the first United captain to lift the cup three times. Robson had faced his familiar fight against injury once again in that1989–90 season, restricted to 20 appearances out of 38 in the league, as United finished 13th – their lowest finish since relegation in 1974.[32] Robson's testimonial match took place on 20 November 1990 and saw United lose 3–1 to Celtic at Old Trafford.[33] During the1990–91 season, he was restricted to 17 league appearances due to an injury suffered at the1990 FIFA World Cup, and didn't make a first team appearance until just before Christmas. During his absence, United had been captained by fellow midfielderNeil Webb, but Robson regained the captain's armband on his return.
Robson was fit for theEuropean Cup Winners Cup final in which United beatBarcelona 2–1 inRotterdam, with both goals coming fromMark Hughes.
Robson was still a regular choice for United during the1991–92 season despite competition from much younger players including Webb,Paul Ince andAndrei Kanchelskis. During that season, he made his 90th and final appearance for the England team, who by this stage were being managed byGraham Taylor. But the season ended in disappointment for Robson as United were overhauled in the First Division championship race byLeeds United. He missed their League Cup final victory overNottingham Forest through injury and his first-team chances were starting to look increasingly numbered as he faced competition from other players within the United squad and the press reported that Ferguson was hoping to sign a new, younger midfielder, although no such addition took place in 1992.
Robson still captained the club in most of his first-team appearances, butSteve Bruce was captaining the side when Robson was absent. Robson made just 14 league appearances during the1992–93 season, which was the first season of the new Premier League. The club's regular central midfielders for this season were Ince (who had been at United since 1989) andBrian McClair (who was shifted from the attacking positions following the late November arrival ofEric Cantona), while his other favoured position on the right side of midfield was either occupied byMike Phelan or the younger, wider-lying Kanchelskis andLee Sharpe. With the introduction of squad numbers for the 1993–94 Premier League, Robson was issued with the number 12 shirt, while the number 7 shirt that he had worn in virtually every game of his career went to Cantona instead.
Robson scored on the final day of the season againstWimbledon – it was his only goal of that campaign. By that point, United were Premier League champions and Robson finally won the league championship medal that he had been trying to gain since his days at West Bromwich Albion some 15 years earlier. It was not just injuries that were restricting the 36-year-old Robson's first-team chances. Cantona had been signed during the1992–93 season and played up front with Hughes, while Hughes' former strike-partner McClair had been converted into a midfielder. This counted against Robson and the biggest blow came in the summer of 1993 when United signed Forest'sRoy Keane, but even this did not quite signal the end for him at Manchester United.
Robson was still able to make enough appearances for another Premier League champions medal in the1993–94 season (15 games, 10 of them as a substitute), and scored one of their four goals in the FA Cup semi-final replay victory overOldham atMaine Road, which turned out to be his final goal for the club.[34] He had found the net on the opening day of the season in a 2–0 win atNorwich City. At the age of 36, he finally appeared in Europe's top club tournament, theChampions League, with United reaching the second round. Robson scored a late equaliser in the second round first leg clash withGalatasaray, which ended in a 3–3 draw at Old Trafford.[35]
Robson was dropped from the squad for theFA Cup final, a decision which manager Ferguson later admitted was one of the hardest of his career, opting to select the more flexible Sharpe and McClair as the outfield substitutes. His final appearance in a United shirt came on the last day of the league season, 8 May 1994, when United drew 0–0 at home withCoventry City. He had played 461 times for them in all competitions, scoring 99 goals, and was widely regarded as one of their greatest ever players.[36]
Robson's 13-year spell at Manchester United came to an end after nearly 500 appearances and 99 goals in May 1994 when he accepted the role of player-manager atMiddlesbrough. From 1994 to 1996, he combined the role with that of England assistant manager (underTerry Venables), and was linked with the manager's job when Venables announced his intention to quit afterEuro 96, only to rule himself out of the running due to his limited experience. He was not included in new managerGlenn Hoddle's coaching staff. In 2015, he expressed regret at turning down the opportunity to manage England.
Robson played his final game as a player on 1 January 1997, in a Premier League game againstArsenal atHighbury 10 days before his 40th birthday. He claimed in his autobiography that he knew it was the right time to retire as his whole body ached for two weeks afterwards trying to keep up with the livewiresDennis Bergkamp andIan Wright.
In the summer of 1975, Robson was called up to the England youth team for the "mini World Cup". He played as a centre-half during the tournament, which England won, beating Finland 1–0 in the final.[18] He was selected for theEngland under-21s for the first time in March 1977, but was withdrawn from the squad by his club West Bromwich Albion, who needed him for a league match against Manchester United at Old Trafford.[20] Albion drew 2–2, with Robson scoring one of the goals. On 6 February 1979, he finally made his England under-21 debut, albeit as an overage player (he was 22 at the time) as England beatWales 1–0 at Swansea'sVetch Field.[37][38] He made hisEngland B debut on 12 June 1979, and scored after just five minutes to give England a 1–0 lead against Austria B inKlagenfurt, although the match was abandoned after 60 minutes.[37][39] He appeared three times for England B in all, captaining the side on his third and final appearance as England drew 0–0 with Algeria's A team inAlgiers on 11 December 1990.[39]
On 6 February 1980, Robson made his full international debut, and his first appearance atWembley, asEngland beat theRepublic of Ireland 2–0 in aUEFA Euro 1980 qualifier.[40] His second cap came in the final preparation game for the finals—a 2–1 win overAustralia in Sydney—but he didn't feature in the tournament itself, from which England were eliminated in the first round. On 9 September 1981, he marked his 13th cap by scoring his first goal for England, in a 2–1 defeat toNorway in Oslo. The match is remembered mainly for Norwegian commentatorBjørge Lillelien's taunting of England following the final whistle.[41]
England coachRon Greenwood started to feature Robson regularly in his midfield, selecting him for the first dozen internationals after the European Championships finished, including all eight of the qualifying games for the1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain, through which England earned a place in the finals. His England career was flourishing as the World Cup neared; he scored in a 4–0 thrashing ofNorthern Ireland at Wembley and added a brace in the last warm-up game inHelsinki againstFinland. Robson was in the record books for 20 years thanks to a goal scored againstFrance in England's opening game of the World Cup atEstadio San Mamés, home ofAthletic Bilbao. It came after just 27 seconds of the match – the third fastest in World Cup finals history until 2002 whenHakan Şükür scored after ten seconds in the third-place match againstSouth Korea. For his achievement, Robson received an inscribed gold watch.[42]
Robson captained England for the first time on 17 November 1982, leading the side to a 3–0 win overGreece inSalonika. He scored ahat-trick in England's 8–0 victory overTurkey inIstanbul on 14 November 1984. "Captain Marvel", as he was nicknamed, helped England qualify for the1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico. By now, he was considered by England managerBobby Robson to be the best player in England.[43] His hopes of glory were crushed by re-aggravating an existing shoulder injury in England's second game of the group stages, againstMorocco, which prevented him participating further in the tournament. The enforced change to England's formation benefited them, no longer having to protect an injured player, and – despite also losing vice-captainRay Wilkins to a red card and subsequent ban – successive 3–0 victories resulted, until England's run finally came to an end with a 2–1 defeat againstArgentina in the quarter final. The same shoulder injury was to trouble him for several weeks after the competition.
Over the next two years, Robson returned to the side to lead them through qualifying forUEFA Euro 1988. He personally played well for England, particularly with a fine individual goal against eventual champions theNetherlands, but was unable to prevent them from going out in the first phase of the competition as England lost all three of their group games.
Robson continued his international career until 1991, also helping England to reach the1990 FIFA World Cup. For the second World Cup in succession, his role was limited as he once again suffered an injury in the second match (against the Netherlands) that was to keep him out of the rest of the tournament. Likewise, England's revamped formation played better without their captain, whose place in the team was taken byDavid Platt during the knock-out stages, as England finished fourth.
Robson was picked by both Bobby Robson andTony Adams in their England dream teams of the best players they had worked or played with, in their autobiographies.[44] Adams said additionally that Robson had a "terrific football brain" and had exceptional awareness and anticipation; often intercepting or knowing where the ball would land ahead of other players. Adams said this separated outstanding players from good players, and Robson would fit into the category of "the best".[45]Paul Gascoigne stated in his 2004 bookGazza: My Story that Robson was the best footballer he had ever shared a pitch with and the best player of his generation. Additionally,Peter Beardsley named him in his "Perfect XI" selection, football magazineFour Four Two's interviews with current and former players of their "dream team" selections.[46] His final game for England was a European Championship qualifier played against Turkey in October 1991.[47]
A well-roundedbox-to-box midfielder, Robson combined goalscoring ability with anticipation, movement, and tireless energy. Brave and fiercely competitive, he impressed with his tackling, passing, aerial strength, and versatile presence incentral midfield. Renowned as a combativedefensive midfielder with excellent ball-winning skills, he also stood out for his vision and pace in the opposition half, where he could bothcreate and score goals.[48][49][50]
Robson was regarded as one of the most complete midfielders in England.[51] His manager,Bobby Robson, regarded him asEngland's best player. Robson's determination earned him widespread respect, with his long-time manager.Alex Ferguson hailed him as "a miracle of commitment, a human marvel who pushed himself through every imaginable limit."[50] Regarded as an inspirational leader, Robson was frequently cited as a role model by teammates and successors.Gareth Southgate described him as his "sporting hero", whileGary Lineker recalled being "in awe" of him even as a teammate.David Beckham compared Robson's influence on his own generation to that ofBobby Charlton on his father's, emphasising his all-round abilities. His long-time manager Alex Ferguson praised him as a commanding captain, respected in the dressing room, and highlighted his resilience and commitment in playing through numerous serious injuries.[52]
Robson accepted Middlesbrough's offer to become player-manager at the end of the1993–94 season, and made a dream start to his managerial career as the club won theDivision One title and promotion to thePremier League. Robson oversaw Boro's final season atAyresome Park before relocation to the new 30,000-seatRiverside Stadium on the banks of theRiver Tees. He was assisted byViv Anderson, another former Manchester United and England player.
Middlesbrough made an ambitious return to the Premier League and attracted expensive big names likeNick Barmby and the BraziliansJuninho andBranco. They went fourth in the Premier League in October 1995, sparking hopes ofUEFA Cup qualification, but an injury crisis sparked a slump in form and they slid down the table to finish 12th. In the summer of 1996, Robson paid £7 million to sign theJuventus andItaly strikerFabrizio Ravanelli, who became the highest-paid player in English football with a weekly wage of £50,000 as well as being one of the most expensively signed.
In the1996–97 season, Robson led Boro to both domestic cup finals, but they were on the losing side both times, losing 1–0 in a replay toLeicester City in theLeague Cup final replay and 2–0 in theFA Cup final toChelsea, while they suffered relegation from, the Premier League. This relegation would have been avoided if they had not been deducted three points in mid-season for cancelling a fixture at late notice due to many players being unfit through illness or injury. Boro were already bottom of the league at the turn of 1997, but when the points were deducted they found themselves seven points adrift of safety with the 17th-placed team having a game in hand.[53] Results slowly improved over the next few weeks and by the end of March a succession of good results had seen Boro climb out of the relegation zone. This, coupled with the excellent cup runs, saw Robson votedPremier League Manager of the Month for March 1997.[54] Robson made one playing appearance that season on New Years Day, starting in a 2–0 defeat away to Arsenal.[55] This proved to be his last game as a professional footballer, though he did not announce his retirement from playing until later in the season.
Despite these setbacks the board kept faith in Robson and he repaid their loyalty with automatic promotion back to the Premier League in the1997–98 season. Again, the club missed out on cup success at the final hurdle with a 2–0 defeat against Chelsea in theLeague Cup final. Boro would remain in the Premier League for the next 11 seasons, with Robson remaining as manager for three of those seasons. They finished ninth in 1999, 12th in 2000 and 14th in 2001.
In November 2000, he criticised his players following a string of poor results which had dragged them into a relegation battle.[56] A month later Middlesbrough brought in former England coachTerry Venables as head coach to assist Robson, who remained as manager. The new managerial partnership saw Boro's form improve and they avoided relegation.[57] Robson left the club "by mutual consent" in June 2001, having failed to bring the club higher than ninth in the league, or to bring them any silverware.[58] His successor wasSteve McClaren, the Manchester United assistant manager. Despite being linked with a string of managerial vacancies, Robson would not return to management for more than two years.
Following the resignation ofMick McCarthy, Robson emerged in January 2003 as the bookmakers' favourite to become the newRepublic of Ireland manager,[59] but the job went instead toBrian Kerr.[60] In November 2003 Robson was set to becomeNigeria's national coach, but the appointment was blocked by the Nigerian sports minister due to doubts that Robson's wage demands could be met.[61] Later that month, Robson did make his football comeback more than two years after leaving Middlesbrough. He accepted the offer to manageDivision One strugglersBradford City.[62] Robson won his first game in charge as Bradford fought back from 2–0 down to beatMillwall 3–2.[63] But he recorded just six more wins as Bradford took only 22 points from 27 games under Robson and were relegated, finishing second from bottom. Robson's short-term contract was not renewed and he handed the reins over to his assistantColin Todd.[64]
Robson's third management job began on 9 November 2004, when he agreed to return to his old clubWest Bromwich Albion as manager – 23 years after his departure as a player.[65] His first match in charge ended in a 2–1 home defeat to his former club Middlesbrough.[66] A 4–0 loss away to local rivalsBirmingham City on 18 December meant that Albion were bottom of thePremier League on Christmas Day, a position from which no team had previously escaped relegation from the Premier League.[67] Robson was the subject of derisory chants from Albion supporters during the game, a complete contrast to his status as a club hero when he had taken to the field as a player.[68] The team were also bottom going into the last game of the season, but Robson and his players defied the odds to stay up thanks to a 2–0 home win overPortsmouth on the final day of the season, coupled with favourable results from elsewhere. Despite some significant new signings in the 2005 close season, his team failed to build on this achievement in 2005–06 though, and Albion were relegated with two matches left to play. They had failed to win any of their final 13 Premier League games.[69] Robson left the club "by mutual consent" on 18 September 2006, following a disappointing start to the season with The Baggies in 9th place in the Championship with only three wins from their first eight games.[70]
After his departure from West Brom, Robson spent eight months out of the game. He was interested in becoming theEngland under-21 team's full-time manager, but the job went instead toStuart Pearce on a part-time basis.[71]
On 22 May 2007, it was announced at a press conference that Robson would be the new manager ofSheffield United, following the resignation ofNeil Warnock.[72] He was assisted byBrian Kidd, who had been assistant manager at Manchester United during Robson's final three seasons there.
His first match in charge was a home match againstColchester United on 11 August in a 2–2 draw.[73] His first win was three days later in a 3–1 win againstChesterfield in theLeague Cup.[74] United subsequently collected nine points in their first 10league matches, leaving the Blades in 20th place inthe Championship and prompting Robson to comment about the situation.[75] After a string of inconsistent results and a 2–0derby defeat toSheffield Wednesday, Robson publicly stated that he had lost patience with his players.[76] Following calls for Robson's resignation, Sheffield United chairmanKevin McCabe gave Robson his public backing and called for patience and unity.[77]Robson has since expressed his disappointment at not having the funds he was expecting to help rebuild the team.[78]
After a 0–0 draw at home toScunthorpe United on 9 February 2008, Robson came under increasing pressure from fans urging the board to sack the manager.[79] Consequently, Robson was summoned to a meeting in Brussels on 13 February with McCabe, as the club considered its response to the scenes which followed the goalless draw against Scunthorpe.[80] In an interview withBBC Radio Sheffield, Robson stated that his team could have won the match with Scunthorpe if they had better support from the fans.[81] After his meeting with McCabe, on 14 February he was "relieved of his first-team duties" before later in the day leaving Sheffield United after turning down another role with the club.[82]
In March 2008, 14 years after he had last played for them, Robson returned to Manchester United to work as an ambassador, for an initial period of 12 months. He worked alongsideSir Bobby Charlton to help United 'promote its commercial and charitable aims'.[83]
On 23 September 2009, Robson agreed to become coach of theThailand national team in his first foray into international football management.[84] He was contracted to manage the team through to the2014 World Cup. On 14 November, Robson celebrated his first competitive match in charge of the team with a 3–1 away victory againstSingapore in a2011 AFC Asian Cup qualifying group match.[85] On 18 November, Robson then suffered his first loss – a 1–0 defeat against Singapore on home soil. In January 2010, this was followed by two goalless draws withJordan andIran during qualification. On 3 March 2010, Robson's Thailand suffered a 1–0 defeat by the hands of Iran inTehran in their final Group E game, effectively ending their hopes of qualifying for2011 AFC Asian Cup.
On 11 August, Robson led Thailand to another victory against Singapore with a score of 1–0 on home soil. In September 2010, Robson overcameBob Houghton'sIndia in a friendly with a score of 2–1 away from home. In December 2010, Robson failed to bring Thailand past the Group A of the2010 AFF Championship after managing only two draws againstLaos andMalaysia and losing toIndonesia. He resigned as manager on 8 June 2011,[86] and has since returned to his role as a club ambassador for Manchester United.[87]
Robson has been married to his wife Denise since 2 June 1979. Denise is from theGreat Barr area and met Robson early on in his playing career with West Bromwich Albion.[37] The couple have three children: Claire (born 17 September 1980),[88] Charlotte (born 17 June 1982),[89] and Ben (born 2 September 1988).[90] In 2000, Robson reportedly had an affair withSky Sports reporterClare Tomlinson.[91]
On 16 March 2011, it was revealed that Robson had undergone surgery in Bangkok on 3 March 2011 for throat cancer.[92]
As a player, Robson endorsed products byadidas, and laterNew Balance football boots, as well as owning a stake in theBirthdays greeting card chain.[93] He was the subject of the television programmeThis Is Your Life in the edition aired on 23 January 1985, at just 12 days after his 28th birthday he was one of the show's youngest ever special guests.[94] Robson has appeared in a number of advertisements, including an appearance inCarlsberg's 2006 "Best Pub Side" television advert, where he starred alongside other former England players.[95] In 2007, he formed a specialist sports company, Robson Lloyd Consultancy Ltd, with an aim to build community sports academies with long-lasting benefits for small Football clubs. His autobiography, entitledRobbo: My Autobiography was released in May 2006.[96]
In March 2010,The Daily Telegraph published an article claiming that retired England footballerSteve McMahon and Robson had used their celebrity status to encourage investors to purchaseGreen belt land plots in Hounslow with a very limited chance of return.[97]
On 18 July 2011, on an episode of theChannel 4 television programmeDispatches entitled "How to Buy a Football Club", Robson was secretly filmed by reporters during an undercover investigation. In the film, Robson describes how the reporters – who posed as businessmen – could break the strictFootball Association rules that prevent individuals and/or groups from owning multiple football clubs. He also lists a number of clubs he considers as prime targets for take over.[98][99]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| West Bromwich Albion | 1974–75 | Second Division | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | |
| 1975–76 | Second Division | 16 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 3[a] | 0 | 21 | 2 | ||
| 1976–77 | First Division | 23 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 2[a] | 0 | 28 | 8 | ||
| 1977–78 | First Division | 35 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 40 | 3 | |||
| 1978–79 | First Division | 41 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8[b] | 2 | — | 57 | 9 | ||
| 1979–80 | First Division | 35 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 2[b] | 0 | — | 42 | 11 | ||
| 1980–81 | First Division | 40 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 47 | 11 | |||
| 1981–82 | First Division | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | ||
| Total | 198 | 40 | 12 | 2 | 18 | 2 | 12 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 245 | 46 | ||
| Manchester United | 1981–82 | First Division | 32 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 35 | 5 | ||
| 1982–83 | First Division | 33 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 2[b] | 1 | — | 49 | 15 | ||
| 1983–84 | First Division | 33 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6[c] | 4 | 1[d] | 2 | 47 | 18 | |
| 1984–85 | First Division | 33 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7[b] | 2 | — | 46 | 14 | ||
| 1985–86 | First Division | 21 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 1[d] | 0 | 27 | 7 | ||
| 1986–87 | First Division | 30 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 7 | |||
| 1987–88 | First Division | 36 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 43 | 11 | |||
| 1988–89 | First Division | 34 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 2 | — | – | 43 | 8 | |||
| 1989–90 | First Division | 20 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 27 | 4 | |||
| 1990–91 | First Division | 17 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 4[c] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 1 | |
| 1991–92 | First Division | 27 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 3[c] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 5 | |
| 1992–93 | Premier League | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | — | 17 | 1 | ||
| 1993–94 | Premier League | 15 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 4[e] | 1 | 1[d] | 0 | 27 | 3 | |
| Total | 345 | 74 | 35 | 10 | 51 | 5 | 27 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 461 | 99 | ||
| Middlesbrough | 1994–95 | Division One | 22 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 22 | 1 | |
| 1995–96 | Premier League | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 | |||
| 1996–97 | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| Total | 25 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 27 | 1 | |||
| Career total | 568 | 115 | 48 | 12 | 70 | 7 | 39 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 733 | 146 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | 1980 | 3 | 0 |
| 1981 | 5 | 0 | |
| 1982 | 10 | 4 | |
| 1983 | 11 | 1 | |
| 1984 | 7 | 3 | |
| 1985 | 5 | 2 | |
| 1986 | 10 | 2 | |
| 1987 | 10 | 5 | |
| 1988 | 3 | 3 | |
| 1989 | 12 | 5 | |
| 1990 | 9 | 0 | |
| 1991 | 5 | 0 | |
| Total | 90 | 26 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 September 1981 | Ullevaal Stadion,Oslo, Norway |  Norway | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2 | 23 February 1982 | Wembley Stadium,London, England |  Northern Ireland | 1–0 | 4–0 | British Home Championship |
| 3 | 3 June 1982 | Helsinki Olympic Stadium,Helsinki, Finland |  Finland | 2–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
| 4 | 3–0 | |||||
| 5 | 16 June 1982 | Estadio San Mamés,Bilbao, Spain |  France | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1982 FIFA World Cup |
| 6 | 2–1 | |||||
| 7 | 1 June 1983 | Wembley Stadium, London, England |  Scotland | 1–0 | 2–0 | British Home Championship |
| 8 | 16 November 1983 | Stade Municipale,Belair, Luxembourg |  Luxembourg | 1–0 | 4–0 | UEFA Euro 1984 qualifying |
| 9 | 4–0 | |||||
| 10 | 12 September 1984 | Wembley Stadium, London, England |  East Germany | 1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
| 11 | 17 October 1984 | Finland | 4–0 | 5–0 | 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 12 | 18 November 1984 | Besiktas Inonu Stadium,Istanbul, Turkey |  Turkey | 1–0 | 8–0 | |
| 13 | 3–0 | |||||
| 14 | 6–0 | |||||
| 15 | 12 June 1985 | Estadio Azteca,Mexico City, Mexico |  West Germany | 1–0 | 3–0 | Azteca 2000 Tournament |
| 16 | 16 October 1985 | Wembley Stadium, London, England | Turkey | 3–0 | 5–0 | 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 17 | 26 February 1986 | Ramat Gan Stadium,Ramat Gan, Israel |  Israel | 1–1 | 8–0 | Friendly |
| 18 | 2–1 | |||||
| 19 | 1 April 1987 | Windsor Park,Belfast, Northern Ireland | Northern Ireland | 1–0 | 2–0 | UEFA Euro 1988 qualifying |
| 20 | 14 October 1987 | Wembley Stadium, London, England | Turkey | 1–0 | 8–0 | |
| 21 | 11 November 1987 | Red Star Stadium,Belgrade, Yugoslavia |  Yugoslavia | 3–0 | 4–1 | |
| 22 | 15 June 1988 | Rheinstadion,Düsseldorf, West Germany |  Netherlands | 1–1 | 1–3 | UEFA Euro 1988 |
| 23 | 8 February 1989 | Olympic Stadium,Athens, Greece |  Greece | 2–1 | 2–1 | Friendly |
| 24 | 8 March 1989 | Arena Kombëtare,Tirana, Albania |  Albania | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1990 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 25 | 13 December 1989 | Wembley Stadium, London, England | Yugoslavia | 1–0 | 2–1 | Friendly |
| 26 | 2–1 |
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % | ||||
| Middlesbrough |  | 31 May 1994 | 6 December 2000 | 314 | 127 | 86 | 101 | 040.45 |
| Bradford City | | 24 November 2003 | 17 June 2004 | 28 | 7 | 1 | 20 | 025.00 |
| West Bromwich Albion | | 9 November 2004 | 18 September 2006 | 81 | 19 | 24 | 38 | 023.46 |
| Sheffield United | | 22 May 2007 | 14 February 2008 | 38 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 036.84 |
| Thailand |  | 23 September 2009 | 8 June 2011 | 15 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 040.00 |
| Total | 476 | 173 | 127 | 176 | 036.34 | |||
Manchester United
Individual
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough
Individual
Robson was awarded theOBE in the January1990 New Year Honours.[90] In 1998, he was named among the list ofFootball League 100 Legends,[111] and was made an Inaugural Inductee of theEnglish Football Hall of Fame in 2002 in recognition of his impact on the English game as a player.[112] He was named as one of West Bromwich Albion's 16 greatest players, in a 2004 poll organised as part of the club's 125th anniversary celebrations.[113]
A summary of Robson's personal achievements are as follows in chronological order:
England squads | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
