Great news from the FA on a special day for Sir Bobby... Well chuffed. http://m.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/jan/15/fa-national-football-day-bobby-robson Sir Bobby Robson is to be commemorated with a National Football Day named in his honour. The event, to be announced on Wednesday as part of the Football Association's 150th anniversary celebrations, will be held on 10 August to coincide with the start of the 2013-14 season, four days before England play Scotland at Wembley. Senior figures at the FA have been consulting with Robson's widow, Elsie, and intend to involve around 150 different clubs at all levels, with the idea being to promote grassroots football. A similar event was held on the day of England's opening World Cup match against the USA in 2010 but this time the FA will name it "Sir Bobby Robson Day" to mark his popularity and commitment to the sport. "I'm thrilled that the FA is involving my family," Elsie said. "Bob launched his cancer charity [the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation] in 2008 and right from the start the FA has been on hand to support us. He'd have loved this and I think it's very fitting as it will be a day celebrating and encouraging grassroots football. Bob never lost his own boyish enthusiasm for the game no matter what was happening off the field." Robson died in 2009, aged 76, after a long battle against cancer, having been in football for more than 60 years. There are statues of him outside St James' Park and Portman Road, marking his time at Newcastle United and Ipswich Town, and the FA wanted to do something in honour of the man who took the national team to the World Cup semi-finals of Italia 90 as well as the quarter-finals four years earlier in Mexico. "Bob just didn't feel he could turn his country down when he was approached," Elsie said. "For him, it was a huge honour to be asked and he never took the role for granted. Every game and every result meant the world to him and I think it's that passion and commitment which people remember so fondly now. "He was at the helm of the national side for eight years â and they were eight very challenging years. He missed the week-in week-out of club football, the kind of adrenalin that comes with that, but it really was the pinnacle of his career. He was so close to success in Mexico and Italy and he loved working with the England players."
Very much deserved for a true legend of the game and he would have been completely flattered by this tribute. I was very fortunate to have grown up with Robson's great Ipswich teams and he always had time for the young supporters as I was back then. The only thing I would like to add is why isn't Sir Alf Ramsey being honoured in the same way? Afterall he is the only manager to have won the World Cup for England! I do feel disgusted at the shabby way the FA treated our other Town hero and legend and I feel that he has been sidelined over the years. He also deserves all the accolades and plaudits! Sir Bobby Robson definately deserves a tribute like this but so does Sir Alf Ramsey! Wouldn't it be a great touch if we could play Newcastle Utd to mark this special day! Bobby would be thrilled!
JWM it'll be the opening day of the Premier League season so unless Newcastle drop out of the top flight it's not going to happen that way. I don't agree that Sir Alf's achievements go unnoticed and I don't think this day detracts from everyone's appreciation to him. This is to celebrate a man who was truly a one off. Quite probably the best man and the best manager there has ever been in the world game. The fact that you could knock on his door on Henley Road whilst i was growing up without an intercom, huge gate and grounds between yourself and the door (although i never did) was genuinely magical.
I can't think of anyone else in World football that you would struggle to find anyone, anywhere in the World that had a bad word to say about him! In terms of legends, he is truly without equal!
Lets get this right Yorkie, the FA Treated Alf like **** especially how the cowardly way they went about sacking him in 1973! Sir Alf should be treated the same as Sir Bobby in my view and not overlooked by those one eyed morons that run the FA!
This. Even the bitterest of Mackems give him the respect he deserves. He just has that effect on people.
I don't really think what happened in 1974 affects his legacy. It affected his retirement but I don't think the modern FA see him as any less of a hero than we do. I remember him being honoured by the FA when he got his posthumous World Cup winners' medal.
