Simply the best

Monday, 21/09/2009

Editor Colin Mitchell pays tribute to the late Sir Bobby Robson.

Anyone who ever met Sir Bobby Robson never forgot him. In fact, they will always have a story to tell about meeting the great man. For me, my first meeting with Bobby was an honour in itself, one of the interviews I’d always wanted to do. I was a little in awe of this giant of a man – I needn’t have been.

“Hello son, how are you, nice to meet you,” was the greeting I got back in 2002 as I met up with him during the World Cup.

Bobby was working as a pundit and I had arranged to meet him at the London Weekend television centre. As we sat in an empty studio control room he had this special aura about him, but at the same time made me totally at ease. During our chat his mobile rang. “Hello Charlie,” he greeted the caller before saying he would call back shortly.

I sussed that the then Newcastle boss was about to sign a player, knowing that Charlie was Charlie Woods, his main scout. Bobby willingly told me the player was Titus Bramble, just asking me not to tell anyone. He trusted me even though we had just met, and that meant a lot. At later meetings he called me ‘the lad from Shoot (lad? Well I suppose I was compared to him) or just ‘son’. He always had a smile, was always welcoming and always had something interesting to say.

I admit there were tears when I heard of his death. Some players told me how they took had cried at the news. That’s how special Sir Bobby was to anyone who had dealings with him.

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