I find myself being quite upset at the news of Sir Robert William Robson’s death. Growing up abroad, I only became aware of the man in 1990, during the World Cup in Italy. To come within a whisker of seeing England through to the World Cup final is a great achievement in itself. Add to this his successes in four different leagues across Europe – England, the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal – and it becomes clear to see that the footballing world has lost a great manager. He deservedly received the Lifetime Achievement Award on the BBC.
Sir Bobby was first diagnosed with cancer in 1991. He has had bowel, brain and lung cancer as well as malignant melanoma, and in 2007 he was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Following this, he set up the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation which has already raised over £1,000,000 to help in the fight against this dreadful disease. It is, once again, a remarkable achievement.
He has left a wonderful legacy behind him, and a fulfilled life in which football played a major part. Sir Bobby Robson – a great manager and a true gent.
