IN ALL MY TIME IN FOOTBALL, I DIDN'T WIN A THING.

7th of the Seventh Month 1982, Bobby Robson was appointed England manager having had considerable success at Ipswich Town and a vareity of other clubs across Europe. He originated from the North East and Bill Dodgin, the Fulham manager travelled to Middlesbrough to sign him as a player, when on Robson's doorstep was Newcastle United, who missed the chance.

Robson spent some time at Fulham FC, a club he described as not really likely to win anything and indeed they were relegated. So whenWest Bromwich Albion's manager,Vic Buckingham, came calling in 1956, he moved to the Midlands.
Bobby took the leap and stayed there for over 250 games. In 1962, following a dispute over pay and ambitions, he returned to Fulham where Rodney Marsh and Alan Mullery were giving the club some entertainment and life. Unfortunately both these "stars" were sold soon after Robson arrived.

In 1967 he went to Canada to play in Vancouver in a new North American Soccer League but although this looked promising, Fuham offered him their managership, so he left for England in 1968.

He then managed until getting the national job, learning from exotic clubs such as PSV Eindhoven, Sporting and Porto, Barca and Newcastle.
He took over the England job from Ron Greenwood who had also managed West Ham Utd and was moderately successful with a 60% win percentage for hjis country.

Robson was a football ambassador,  and who toured promoting the gamesomebody who listened to other coaches and who believed in "total football" following the lead of two great England coaches, Buckingham and Don Howe.

I remember watching (on tv) him score in 1961 in an Home International against the Scots, at Wembley when England won 9-3 in a remarkable match. His international career was ruined with injury in Chile at the 1962 World Cup. Bobby played 20 times for his country, scoring 4. His place was taken by Bobby Moore!

When Bobby Robson finished playing, he soon made his name in coaching and management and was the President of the Surrey Coaches Association. He ran coaching days at his club and I went to Portman Road for a Sunday session of coaching, which also involved a match for those who were able against an Ipswich Town club team on the main pitch and lunch after! Here's his statue at Portman Road.

On the Seventh of July 1990, Bobby managed England for the last time and this was a defeat to hosts Italy, in the FIFA World Cup 3rd/4th Place match, 1-2. Some say these "bronze medal" games mean nothing but playing the old foe certainly hit a nerve. It was also a land mark for Peter Shilton who retired after the game, having played in 125 England matches. Robson's win percentage was 50%. in 95 internationals.
(Capello holds the highest at 66% in 42 games, apart from Sam Allardyce who managed 100% in  1 game) Then come: Hoddle 60%, Ramsey 61%, Greenwood and Sven both 60!
Keegan worst 39% in 18 games,

I can tell you more about Bobby, but there's too much to keep you pinned to the screen. He was inducted in the English Football Hall of Fame in 2003, became a TV Pundit and he hosted a Cancer Charity, an illness that got him in July 31st 2009.
He has had an East Coast Line train and Port of Tyne boat named after him. The feature length film "Bobby Robson; More than a Manager" is worth seeing.