Soccer

Stars gather to remember Robson

Football royalty paid tribute today to Sir Bobby Robson — one of the game’s favourite sons

Mon Sept 21 2009 - 01:00

Football royalty paid tribute today to Sir Bobby Robson — one of the game’s favourite sons. Among the 1,000 guests at Durham Cathedral were Alex Ferguson and Bobby Charlton, England boss Fabio Capello and the president of Barcelona, the current European champions, Joan Laporta.

Also in attendance was Steve Staunton, who Robson worked with as a special advisor during the former’s tenure as Republic of Ireland manager. Roy Keane,

Ipswich manager Roy Keane was also present, as were Shay Given, Niall Quinn, Mick McCarthy and Jack Charlton.

Former England managers spotted included Steve McClaren, Sven-Goran Eriksson,

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Graham Taylor, Howard Wilkinson and Peter Taylor.

Football fans were invited to watch live broadcasts of the 75-minute service on big screens in Ipswich town centre and at Newcastle’s ground — clubs where he served as manager with such distinction.

Paul Gascoigne, who famously wept during the 1990 World Cup semi-final, looked emotional throughout the service. It included a stirring performance of Nessun Dorma which is forever linked to the tournament.

Gascoigne sat by former team-mate Gary Lineker who was one of four people who read a eulogy.

Former striker Lineker said of Robson: “He was everything that was good about the game. He loved the game and the game loved him. He was a lion of a man. No, make

that ‘three lions’.

“Sir Bobby Robson, we will miss you but we will never, ever forget you.”

Ferguson spoke about Sir Bobby’s time at Newcastle, where he restored Geordie pride on his return from success throughout Europe in the 1990s. Ferguson seemed still angry that his friend had been forced to leave the job he loved.

“A man like that could have gone on and on,” he said. “It has been one of the privileges of my life to have met him and to have been enthused by him.

“He influenced me then and he’s always influenced me.”

In his last years, Sir Bobby devoted much time to raising funds for the early detection of cancer and this final battle was represented by his oncologist Dr Ruth Plummer.

Dr Plummer said Sir Bobby was recruited to raise cash to fund research into the early detection of cancer.

The total raised now stands at around €2 million, and a trials centre in his name was opened at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital in February.