Sir Bobby Robson – A Tribute
21/09/09 23:17
Those of us who saw Sir Bobby Robson’s final public appearance at St James Park last Sunday probably realised that the day we would learn of his passing was probably not too far away. Legend is a word that is sometimes used too easily but few would argue that with Sir Bobby’s passing football and the world of sport in general has lost one of its legends.
I never saw him play but have followed his managerial career closely. I had the pleasure of meeting Sir Bobby on a handful of occasions, my late uncle; John Carruthers was his Northern Scout when Sir Bobby managed Ipswich, the club from a relatively small rural town that he turned into one Europe’s finest club sides. He did it by scouring the country for young footballing talent and coaching them into top players. I visited Ipswich for a few days many years ago with my parents and my uncle arranged for us to watch a training session then have a tour round the ground. Sir Bobby put his usual enthusiasm into that session, cajoling and encouraging players, taking part in practice matches showing the same drive that never left him in the whole of his managerial career. One of the things that riles me about football today is the number of players too frequently described as world class who are unable to kick a football with their weaker foot. I remember at the end of that training session Sir Bobby taking George Burley (Scotland’s right back at the time) and left back Steve McCall (Carlisle lad of course) to one side. For the next half hour Sir Bobby had the two of them practising crosses Burley from the left side using his weaker left foot and McCall from the right using his right foot, all of the time Sir Bobby was encouraging them either a “that’s it great cross, now do it again” or “no come on you can do better than that get your foot round it”.
The youth policy at Ipswich became legendary and a large part of that was down to the way that Sir Bobby ran the club, like a family, everybody was important, he ensured that young players leaving home for the first time were properly looked after, when their families went to Ipswich to visit them they were treated as honoured guests. Several players interviewed on TV today have described Sir Bobby as a father figure.
A couple of days after watching the training session we watched an evening game and met Sir Bobby in the lounge after the game. I remember asking him about Kevin Beattie, he was visibly upset as he described him as “the finest young player I’ve seen since Duncan Edwards, I could cry about that lad”. Kevin Beattie at that time was struggling with the injury that would prematurely bring an end to his career. One of my favourite stories of Sir Bobby was of the 1981 season when Ipswich won the UEFA cup; one of their toughest ties was against Bohemians of Prague. They lost the away leg 2-0; they were soon on level terms at Portman Rd, John Wark scoring twice in the first twenty minutes. Ipswich threw everything at Bohemians but couldn’t get the elusive third goal, as the game wore on the crowd were getting restless. Kevin Beattie was on the bench (recovering from yet another injury) and from early in the game he was constantly at Sir Bobby to put him on. With about 15 to 20 minutes left Ipswich won a free kick about 25 yards from the goal. Mickey Mills the captain had gone down injured having practically run himself into the course, Mills came off and Beattie replaced him. The crowd gave him a rapturous reception, he casually strolled up to the ball and with his first kick of the game hit an unstoppable free kick into the top corner, the stadium erupted and Beattie walked back to the centre circle arms aloft and a huge grin on his face. It finished 3-0 and Ipswich were through. After the game Sir Bobby was ecstatic but spitting feathers about Beattie at the same time “can you believe it, Mickey Mills has run 500 miles for me then he comes on and does that, it’s just not right”.
One of the highlights of Sir Bobby’s Ipswich career was the FA Cup Final victory in 1978, I was lucky enough to be in the crowd that day, a memorable day for my family as two Carlisle lads discovered by my uncle, Kevin Beattie and David Geddis, were in the side that day. A third, Robin Turner scored the two goals that earned Ipswich a 2-2 draw in the quarter final. Today he would have almost certainly have been on the bench but of course in 1978 you only had one sub.
Sir Bobby eventually left Ipswich in 1982 to take the England job. Few England fans will forget his two World Cup campaigns as England manager and although both tournaments ended in heartache, another side of Sir Bobby came to the fore – how to take defeat with grace and dignity. On leaving the England job he then managed successfully in Holland, Portugal and of course with Barcelona where he was sacked after one season despite having won three trophies! His final managerial job was at his beloved Newcastle carrying on into his seventies.
In his later years he received a number of awards for his service to the game, one of the most moving was the BBC Sports Personality of the Year lifetime achievement award. The prolonged ovation brought a lump to many a throat.
The last time I met him was in Bluewater a few years ago when he was signing copies of his autobiography, Farewell but not Forgotten. As I gave him my copies to sign I told him that I was John Carruthers nephew and that I had met him before. He stood up, offered me his hand and said “well I’m delighted to meet you son” before adding “what you doing down here”. He then talked to me for a few minutes about John and their time at Ipswich. I was conscious of the queue behind me and although the staff managing the signing tried to get him to carry on signing he was in full flow and well they just had to be patient for a few minutes. Later that evening I was talking to a friend and I told him that earlier that day I’d been talking to one of football's giants. When he asked who, I said “the great Bobby Robson”. It didn’t seem an unreasonable description to use at that time. It still doesn’t.
Mike Carruthers
31st July 2009
I never saw him play but have followed his managerial career closely. I had the pleasure of meeting Sir Bobby on a handful of occasions, my late uncle; John Carruthers was his Northern Scout when Sir Bobby managed Ipswich, the club from a relatively small rural town that he turned into one Europe’s finest club sides. He did it by scouring the country for young footballing talent and coaching them into top players. I visited Ipswich for a few days many years ago with my parents and my uncle arranged for us to watch a training session then have a tour round the ground. Sir Bobby put his usual enthusiasm into that session, cajoling and encouraging players, taking part in practice matches showing the same drive that never left him in the whole of his managerial career. One of the things that riles me about football today is the number of players too frequently described as world class who are unable to kick a football with their weaker foot. I remember at the end of that training session Sir Bobby taking George Burley (Scotland’s right back at the time) and left back Steve McCall (Carlisle lad of course) to one side. For the next half hour Sir Bobby had the two of them practising crosses Burley from the left side using his weaker left foot and McCall from the right using his right foot, all of the time Sir Bobby was encouraging them either a “that’s it great cross, now do it again” or “no come on you can do better than that get your foot round it”.
The youth policy at Ipswich became legendary and a large part of that was down to the way that Sir Bobby ran the club, like a family, everybody was important, he ensured that young players leaving home for the first time were properly looked after, when their families went to Ipswich to visit them they were treated as honoured guests. Several players interviewed on TV today have described Sir Bobby as a father figure.
A couple of days after watching the training session we watched an evening game and met Sir Bobby in the lounge after the game. I remember asking him about Kevin Beattie, he was visibly upset as he described him as “the finest young player I’ve seen since Duncan Edwards, I could cry about that lad”. Kevin Beattie at that time was struggling with the injury that would prematurely bring an end to his career. One of my favourite stories of Sir Bobby was of the 1981 season when Ipswich won the UEFA cup; one of their toughest ties was against Bohemians of Prague. They lost the away leg 2-0; they were soon on level terms at Portman Rd, John Wark scoring twice in the first twenty minutes. Ipswich threw everything at Bohemians but couldn’t get the elusive third goal, as the game wore on the crowd were getting restless. Kevin Beattie was on the bench (recovering from yet another injury) and from early in the game he was constantly at Sir Bobby to put him on. With about 15 to 20 minutes left Ipswich won a free kick about 25 yards from the goal. Mickey Mills the captain had gone down injured having practically run himself into the course, Mills came off and Beattie replaced him. The crowd gave him a rapturous reception, he casually strolled up to the ball and with his first kick of the game hit an unstoppable free kick into the top corner, the stadium erupted and Beattie walked back to the centre circle arms aloft and a huge grin on his face. It finished 3-0 and Ipswich were through. After the game Sir Bobby was ecstatic but spitting feathers about Beattie at the same time “can you believe it, Mickey Mills has run 500 miles for me then he comes on and does that, it’s just not right”.
One of the highlights of Sir Bobby’s Ipswich career was the FA Cup Final victory in 1978, I was lucky enough to be in the crowd that day, a memorable day for my family as two Carlisle lads discovered by my uncle, Kevin Beattie and David Geddis, were in the side that day. A third, Robin Turner scored the two goals that earned Ipswich a 2-2 draw in the quarter final. Today he would have almost certainly have been on the bench but of course in 1978 you only had one sub.
Sir Bobby eventually left Ipswich in 1982 to take the England job. Few England fans will forget his two World Cup campaigns as England manager and although both tournaments ended in heartache, another side of Sir Bobby came to the fore – how to take defeat with grace and dignity. On leaving the England job he then managed successfully in Holland, Portugal and of course with Barcelona where he was sacked after one season despite having won three trophies! His final managerial job was at his beloved Newcastle carrying on into his seventies.
In his later years he received a number of awards for his service to the game, one of the most moving was the BBC Sports Personality of the Year lifetime achievement award. The prolonged ovation brought a lump to many a throat.
The last time I met him was in Bluewater a few years ago when he was signing copies of his autobiography, Farewell but not Forgotten. As I gave him my copies to sign I told him that I was John Carruthers nephew and that I had met him before. He stood up, offered me his hand and said “well I’m delighted to meet you son” before adding “what you doing down here”. He then talked to me for a few minutes about John and their time at Ipswich. I was conscious of the queue behind me and although the staff managing the signing tried to get him to carry on signing he was in full flow and well they just had to be patient for a few minutes. Later that evening I was talking to a friend and I told him that earlier that day I’d been talking to one of football's giants. When he asked who, I said “the great Bobby Robson”. It didn’t seem an unreasonable description to use at that time. It still doesn’t.
Mike Carruthers
31st July 2009