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. (more…)
Is it really a year?It was about a year ago today, just after the 2008 summer transfer window closed, when Newcastle United went into the free-fall it has yet to recover from.
To be fair, the club wasn’t exactly setting the world alight before that and, arguably, the last period of stability ended when Sir Bobby Robson was given the sack. Freddie Shepherd had been spending the club into debt and had installed the revolving door for managers with both Roeder and Souness serving for less than a season before Shepherd settled on Sam Allardyce.
Then along came Ashley. Initially he was partnered by Chris Mort, who had helped Ashley with the takeover, and in January 2008 the pair sacked Allardyce, sensationally appointing Kevin Keegan as manager. A lot of people felt Mort was a good communicator who built important relationships with the fans, keeping them informed of the goings-on at St James’s Park and setting up things like the Newcastle United Foundation to bring the club into the community. Mort left in June 2008 and was replaced by Derek Llambias and thus began the regime of ‘Dastardly and Muttley’ at Newcastle United and it has been like Wacky Races ever since. (more…)
Toon v Leicester - MondayMonday evening sees The Blue Army of newly promoted Leicester City pay their first visit to St James Park since 2004. Having tasted life in Division one, they were promoted as champions at the end of last season and are now enjoying life in the championship.
Ex-Toon caretaker boss, Nigel Pearson, now the man in charge of the Foxes, has ensured a good start to the season where they remain undefeated in their first four championship matches. If they win tomorrow they will go top,giving them something extra to play for.
With Shola already ruled out with a foot injury,another local lad from Byker, ex-toon season ticket holder and Newcastle mad Leicester City striker Steve Howard is desperate to play in tomorrow night’s clash at St James Park. It looks as if his prayers will be answered as he is likely to be passed fit following a recent hamstring injury.
Leicester are hoping to play their on loan left back, Ryan McGivern, a seemingly talented lad signed on Friday from Man City, where he struggled due to the competition for places. A couple of other new faces, Yann Kermorgant and Paul Gallagher, two loan signings in the past week, will also be in contention to join striker Matty Fryatt who has scored three goals this season. (more…)
Sir Bobby: Always in the eye of the media.“Managing England was very different to managing a club. For one thing, it took me two years to adjust to the job. It was lonely. You didn’t see your players for months sometimes and then the chance you had for any coaching work with them was almost non-existent.” Sir Bobby Robson – ‘Farewell but not Goodbye’ 2005.
Robson’s long reign as England manager was an eventful one with many great moments, some great runs, a few disappointing patches (inevitably followed by huge vitriol from the press), often followed by inspirational tactical switches and salvation. But, alas, it always seemed to be bad lack that got Bobby in the end, whether it was ‘divine intervention’ on behalf of Diego Maradona, disallowed goals or Oscar winning acting performances (and slightly better penalty taking it must be said) from the Germans. Though Bobby himself was far too much of a gentleman to condemn the great Franz Beckenbauer’s supreme gamesmanship, he wasn’t above criticising Maradona when he questioned the role of God’s hand in that famous goal of 1986:
“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.”(more…)
Cock of the North: Shola celebrates.A decent attendance considering, a few grey, bald patches but not too bad after scare stories of less than 30,000. A cosy looking threesome involving Mike Ashley, Barry Moat and Derek Llambias in the Director’s box was a newsworthy event in itself.
In this, the first home game since the death of Sir Bobby Robson, a minute’s applause was once again observed, as it was in last week’s game at West Bromwich Albion. But an even better tribute followed, as Newcastle United played the kind of enterprising, attacking football that even the great man himself might have been proud of for long stretches of the game.
United got off to a busy start in the first few minutes, until Reading finally managed to contain them a little, managing to get in a few nice tackles and interceptions to nip Newcastle’s attacking flair in the bud. However, single strikered Reading seemed to have great problems lauching attacks of their own, keeping the impetus with the Toon. The customary break for Alan Smith to receive his yellow card happened after around twenty minutes this time, which was pretty good going for the Leeds butcher, though he’s capable of much better. (more…)
