Sir Bobby Robson – There is a secret to immortality…

Posted on September 21st, 2009 | 61 Comments |

Sir Bobby Robson 1933 - 2009.
Sir Bobby Robson 1933 - 2009.
Today we mourn, once more, the passing of greatness from us. We must also make room for some joy amid our sadness. The joy of his achievements, the joy of his words, the joy that we knew him at all. Tears will come, as they did that awful day in July, and their sting will be just as harsh…but smiles will not be far behind them.

If he were to hear the praise and plaudits, that will fill today’s service, doubtless he’d dismiss them humbly, quietly. He considered himself nothing special…just plain Bobby. “Plain”? Not to us, never to us. Not to the people he inspired, not to the people whose lives he changed forever with his honour, dignity and fortitude. While many others would have crumbled, when faced with the mountains he had to climb, Bobby did not. He set about every challenge with an unfussy stoicism that confounded circumstance, and inspired love.

He’s been written into legend now, and that is where he will remain. Not just a legend written in black and white…but one blazed across the football firmament like a glorious comet. He’s everyone’s Sir Bobby, a legends legend. To see him greet the players, at the charity re-enactment of England vs Germany, was to witness a hero battling unbelievable pain to fulfill a promise. The players faces said it all, barely able to contain their love and admiration for this colossal man.

Today the term MAN has been hijacked, by a bunch of preening, whining, narcissistic ninnies whose feckless idiocy pervades every corner of society. I want you to take a good long look at Sir Bobby’s face (in all todays imagery), take a hard look….for THAT is what A MAN looks like..a real man!

A real man is someone whose words inform his deeds, a real man is someone who squares up to adversity rather than fleeing from it, a real man does not think compassion a weakness. Sir Bobby was such a man; he was pressed from a mold, long broken. Hewn from a time when heroism was commonplace, possessed of courage fired in REAL hardship, REAL despair and, as such, it is a courage to be celebrated.

The secret to immortality is this, first, have a life worth remembering; for they who are remembered are never truly gone. We are the ones who will always remember…and find nothing but joy in the memory.

NUFCBlog Author: Excelsior Excelsior has written 6 articles on this blog.

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61 Responses

  2. Great article Excelsior. Watched the service this afternoon and it was very moving and a fitting tribute to such a wonderful and enigmatic gentleman. I thought SAF and Gary Lineker’s words were both truly heartfelt especially SAF talking about Sir Bobby remaining loyal to his roots. As a son of the north east he will always make us very proud.

  3. Great words Excelsior, I like the subtle changes to the illustration too.

    Got into the Cathedral Square but couldn’t get near the service so watched it in the pub in the city centre.

    Fitting service for a man who always seemed like a friend to us all and someone who always gave much, much more than he took, and football and life is a better place for it. Everyone agrees the mould was definitely broken with him and perhaps that’s as fitting a tribute as you can give.

  5. Fair enough about the first bit, Bobby Robson was a great man, he will be sadly missed and the first three paragraphs were a fitting and well written tribute. However, though it may sound ‘eloquent’ I don’t see the need for the negativity in the final part. The mold isn’t “long broken”, the word “MAN” hasn’t been “hijacked”, and Sir Bobby wasn’t the last one to embody such heroic qualities.

  6. Congratulations and thank you Excelsior for a truly moving and eloquent article.

    Sir Bobby is indelibly imprinted in our hearts and is truly the real Special One.

  7. workyticket says: September 21, 2009 at 8:03 pm.

    “Fair enough about the first bit, Bobby Robson was a great man, he will be sadly missed and the first three paragraphs were a fitting and well written tribute. However, though it may sound ‘eloquent’ I don’t see the need for the negativity in the final part. The mold isn’t “long broken”, the word “MAN” hasn’t been “hijacked”, and Sir Bobby wasn’t the last one to embody such heroic qualities.”

    oh…I see, Worky. Nothing I write is going to be quite good enough for you. I wrote that this morning while in the grip of the days emotion.

    Say whatever the hell you want about it….it was written from the heart and nothing you say or do will change it.

    Colour me disappointed.

  9. “oh…I see, Worky. Nothing I write is going to be quite good enough for you. I wrote that this morning while in the grip of the days emotion.”

    No, Excelsior. I thought it was a very good tribute apart from the fourth and fifth paragraphs. I couldn’t see why a tribute to a great man had to turn into a negative tirade about “preening, whining, narcissistic ninnies whose feckless idiocy pervades every corner of society”. It detracted from it somehow and turned a positive celebration of someone’s life into something else. That’s all.

  10. worky give him a break it was a good article and he was using “preening, whining, narcissistic ninnies whose feckless idiocy pervades every corner of society to show the class of sir bobby compared to alot of other people

  11. Bye Sir Bob – thanks for everything you did.

    Great to see so many famous people turn out and respct the geordie knight.

    Anybody spot Stardust’s bum chum Ashley? Thought not…..

  12. summerof69 says:
    September 21, 2009 at 9:00 pm

    “worky give him a break it was a good article and he was using “preening, whining, narcissistic ninnies whose feckless idiocy pervades every corner of society to show the class of sir bobby compared to alot of other people”

    69, I did write I liked most of it. I just don’t think that Bobby Robson should be used as a stick to beat the younger generation, and I’m pretty sure that he wouldn’t either. He had far too much generosity of spirit for that. There are many young people today who are nothing like that description at all, just as there were many people in Sir Bobby’s time who were complete rotters.

  13. UTD111

    Ashley wasn’t invited by the looks of things.

    Chief exec of Man U was, Chairman of Mackems was and even Chairman of Cardiff was!

    What does that say….?

  14. Stuart79 says:
    September 21, 2009 at 9:21 pm (Edit)

    “Ashley wasn’t invited by the looks of things.

    Chief exec of Man U was, Chairman of Mackems was and even Chairman of Cardiff was!

    What does that say….?”

    Stuart, was Kevin Keegan there?

  16. workyticket says:
    September 21, 2009 at 9:29 pm

    Why should Keegan be there?

    What relationship did he have with Sir Bobby? I thought KK still resented the fact it was Sir Bobby who ended his England career.

    I just thought the owner and/or MD of his beloved club would have been invited if other chairman where there. Why not NUFC’s?

    Just strange I thought.

  17. If Sir Kevin wasn’t there – I’m sure he was glued to the service as he’s a United man through and through.

    I’ve supported United for 47 yrs and I had to drive to Edinburgh – but I listened on the radio all the way.

    Ashley is owner of NUFC………………………..

    does he know what that means? NO

    does he care what that means? NO

    aye right Worky

  18. Stuart79 says:
    September 21, 2009 at 9:34 pm

    “I just thought the owner and/or MD of his beloved club would have been invited if other chairman where there. Why not NUFC’s?

    Just strange I thought.”

    Stuart,

    I suppose there’s two ways of looking at it. He knows that he’s not exactly the most well liked man on Tyneside, so perhaps he didn’t want to detract from the occaision with a controversial appearence? Who knows? Of course, most people up there will think the worst though. Ashley and Robson didn’t dislike each other and Sir Bobby said himself that he didn’t blame Ashley for the current problems at Newcastle, his ire was more reserved for Dennis Wise.

    I was curious about Keegan being there as he was noticably absent from the multitude of football people who offered tributes when he died.

  19. workyticket says:
    September 21, 2009 at 9:51 pm

    Ya right he’s not the most like man on Tyneside, but I would have thought if he had been invited he would have sent someone to represent the board.

    Whatever anyone thinks about him or Llambias if they have done nothing to be ashamed of I would have like Llambias to be there. After all the only people there were respectable people.

    I think it’s a shame if they did get a invite and didn’t attend.

    Would that disrespectful?

  22. I can only assume that the Robson Family had decided that the senior people from United should not be invited – given the current ridiculous situation re ownership…..

    The alternative is unthinkable – that the FCB was invited – but couldn’t be arsed to pop up from his London stronghold …….

  23. Stuart79 says:
    September 21, 2009 at 9:56 pm

    “Ya right he’s not the most like man on Tyneside,”

    It’s strange to think that there was a time when Bobby Robson was one of the most hated men on Tyneside.

  25. workyticket says:
    September 21, 2009 at 10:03 pm

    Sorry Worky you’ve pissed me off with that comment!

    That’s total sh1t!

  26. batty says:
    September 21, 2009 at 10:00 pm

    “worky i do get what your saying m8”

    batty, I know that one or two(?) of your bairns are in the army, and I know quite a few young people who have actually put their lives on the line for stuff that they genuinely beleive in, both in the armed forces and elsewhere. I wouldn’t call them feckless, preening, lacking in heroism or any of the other stuff. That was my point, we shouldn’t tar everyone with the same brush.

  27. Stuart79 says:
    September 21, 2009 at 10:05 pm

    “Sorry Worky you’ve pissed me off with that comment!

    That’s total sh1t!”

    No it isn’t Stuart. It was when he dropped Keegan from the England team. I’m not sure at all about those spitting allegations etc, but I heard some terrible things said about him over it at the time.

  28. worky a na wot you were on aboot m8 wot do we class as heroism now a days and ive got to agree with you on this 1

  29. batty says:
    September 21, 2009 at 10:20 pm

    “wot do we class as heroism now a days”

    It comes in different forms I suppose batty. Some people put themselves in harm’s way, some people devote their whole lives to altrustic stuff for the benefit of mankind with little or no thought for material gain etc.

  30. me father is the same age as bobby he was the eldest of 5 kids and lost his own father when he was 6 so he had to work on his uncles farm for a few eggs and veg a week to help his mother oot as it was during the war after the war at the age of 14 he went doon the pits and handed most of his wages over to his mother because thats how it was them days so he was sort of a father to his brothers and sisters and then when my own mother died he had to bring 6 kids up by himself and also work me eldest brother was 15 and me youngest 4 and so you could say he had it pretty hard do you know what i meen worky

  31. batty says:
    September 21, 2009 at 10:42 pm

    “me father is the same age as bobby he was the eldest of 5 kids and lost his own father when he was 6”

    batty, I don’t know if it’s possible to put into words how awful that must be. It’s bad enough when you’re in your thirties or forties, never mind six. My parents had a really rough time too, but at least they didn’t have to endure that.

  32. Enough of the doom and gloom – imo Excelsior gave a great tribute to SBR – and tried to put into words how SBR was to him in relation to those who “claim” the right to be respected as men – but SBR had earned that right.

    He was just putting SBR into context for this paragraph. Criticism is a bit over the top imo – his intentions were spot on (to use your words Worky – SBR would have thought that too!)

  33. well put – impressed with your blog! im trying to get a website up and running, similar style but not as frequent articles also looking at football as a whole.

    Address is http://www.nufcblackandwhite.com if you guys want a link on the links page its no problem

    Cheers

  34. summerof69 says: September 21, 2009 at 8:44 pm.

    Thanks, SO69, for the big up!

    The image is a piece of photomontage I did in Photoshop, from existing shots of Sir Bobby. Cutting, pasting…a bit of airbrush and…hey presto!

  35. A nice tribute and great picture. Just puts into perspective how easy younger generations lives are. Trying not to get to deep here but…… I can see were worky and batty are coming from as well. Still a good thread if thats how you feel excelsior. Right off to my easy job now with good pay and working conditions LOL.

  36. Norn Iron Mag says: September 22, 2009 at 8:05 am.

    Fair point Norn. Perhaps my blanket condemnation of todays generation came off a little curmudgeonly. The post was heartfelt, emotional but, perhaps, not completely accurate.

    The intention was to counterpoint the heroics of Bobby’s generation with the, comparatively, needy, attention seeking “Men” of today. There are heroic sacrifices (both sung and unsung) being made by people everyday…of course I understand that.

    I stand corrected.

  39. Batty – the last person you bullied died of a heart attack – Billy Bunter – please dont do it again.

  40. Paul – people pay respects in the way they feel necessary – its a personal matter – your post is in poor taste.

  41. Stardust says:
    September 22, 2009 at 12:17 pm

    “your post is in poor taste.”

    Perhaps, but it’s true though ;-)

  42. Stardust says:
    September 22, 2009 at 12:05 pm
    Batty – the last person you bullied died of a heart attack – Billy Bunter – please dont do it again.
    <<<<<what are you trying to say

  44. lol is wor donna still working at the club think its aboot time some 1 els appeared on eds blog the brightin the day up

  48. It would be good if they could figure out a way to harness Keegan’s anger and put it on the National Grid.

    batty, well Stardust’s always walking out and coming back again, so you may be on to something there! :-)

  49. worky he also told me stardust is i a bit of a mood with him because kk got him 2 tickets to watch his beloved team a couple of years ago but stardust tured up at the stadium of shite while he should of went SJP

  51. workyticket says:
    September 22, 2009 at 1:26 pm
    batty, you don’t know my little Mackem secret
    <<<<well tell me worky because you dont want to take it to your grave do you

  56. Alright batty, I’ll tell you.

    When I was at school, my friend’s dad used to be a director there, so I’ve played at Joker Park, been in the dressing room, messed around with the FA Cup, met Stokoe, Porterfield, Kerr and all the rest. It used to be our playground!

  60. batty says:
    September 22, 2009 at 3:16 pm

    “worky i always knew there was somthing mackem like aboot y lol”

    batty, I have a bath every day, and an IQ that’s good enough for Mensa, so I couldn’t possibly be a Mackem! :-)