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Club Playing Career
Sir Bobby started his professional playing career in 1950 following a personal visit to his Langley Park home from then Fulham manager Bill Dodgin. He stayed at Craven Cottage until 1956 when he was transferred to West Bromwich Albion as the Midlands Club paid what was a then record fee of £25,000 to secure his services.
In 1962 after 6 years at The Hawthorns and 56 goals in 239 appearances, Fulham came calling once again. During the next 5 years he played out what was essentially the rest of his career, though he did briefly join Canadian side Vancouver Royals as player manager in 1967.
International Playing Career
In 1956, shortly after joining WBA, England manager Vic Buckingham called Bobby up for his first England cap.
On his debut against France he scored 2 goals in a 4-0 victory.
He went on to win 20 full caps and was selected for the 1958 and 1962 World Cup Squads.
Club Management
Sir Bobby Robsons career in football management began at the same place as his playing career, Craven Cottage with Fulham in January 1968.
In a harsh start to life as a football manager he was sacked after only 11 months in charge, finding out the news of his sacking not from the club itself but from an advertising board for the local paper which read “Robson Sacked”.
Ipswich Town was the next destination and it was here that he established his reputation as a successful manager. It was during his 13 year tenure that Ipswich Town prospered and had the most successful period in their history. Finishing runners up in the league twice, winning the FA Cup, regularly qualifying for Europe and of course winning the UEFA Cup in 1981 with a famous victory against Dutch side AZ Alkmaar.
Amazingly through his 13 years at Ipswich he transferred in only 14 players from outside the club, choosing to develop and rely on what was a revered youth policy.
It was this success at club level which saw Bobby elevated to the next level when the FA came calling.
International Management
In 1982 Bobby was appointed as the new England manager, a post he would fill for the next 8 years leading the nation through the highs and lows of Mexico 86, Italia 90 and the 1988 European Championships.
In 1986 in Mexico he was helpless to stop the eventual winners Argentina and Diego Maradona from knocking England out of the tournament in one of the most famous games in World Cup history. The game will always be remembered for the two goals by Maradona. One of sheer brilliance, which followed on from the ‘hand of god’ goal, described by Maradona as ‘an act of devine intervention’. Bobby later refused to accept the claims that it was the work of God. He said, ‘It wasn’t the hand of God, It was the hand of a rascal, God had nothing to do with it.’
Four years later Bobby took his England squad to Italy for what is widely accepted as Englands finest World Cup performance apart from 1966.
After reaching the semi finals it was once again heartache as England were once again knocked out by the eventual champions, this time Franz Beckenbauers West Germany. Having beaten Belgium and Cameroon in previous games England were beaten on penalties by the Germans and denied the opportunity of avenging the defeat by Argentina four years previously. The game is perhaps as famous for the tears of Paul ‘Gazza’ Gascoigne as for the result.
After the glorious failure of 1990 the FA informed Bobby that his contract would not be renewed and so it was time to return to club management.
After Italia 90
For the 9 years after Italia 90 Bobby managed some of Europes most famous names, PSV (two spells), Sporting Lisbon, Porto and Barcelona. During this time he won 4 national championships, two national cups and one Cup Winners Cup.
Then in 1990, answering an SOS call, SBR returned home to manage his hometown club Newcastle United. With the club in dire straits languishing at the wrong end of the Premier League he began the task of repairing the damage done to the club by previous incumbents of the position.
After winning his first home game 8-0 against Sheffield Wednesday Bobby led Newcastle to 11th place, winning 14 out of the remaining 32 games. Over the next four years Bobby brought regular European football and perhaps more importantly, pride back to the club and the region, cementing his place in the hearts of the Geordie faithful forever.
In 2004 after a poor start to the league campaign amidst rumours of dressing room discontent, Bobby was sacked by Newcastle chairman Freddie Shepherd. In doing so, Shepherd brought the curtain down on the career of one of the finest managers the world of football has ever seen.
His services to football brought him many accolades, in 2007 he received a rousing and very emotional reception as he was honoured with a lifetime achievement award at the Sports Personality of the Year ceremony.
In 1990 he was awarded a CBE.
Most fitting of all, in 2002 he was awarded a Knighthood by the Queen, arise Sir Bobby Robson.
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