A TRUE GENTLEMAN

THE countdown to the season was overshadowed by the death of Sir Bobby Robson. He was 76.

On the opening weekend of the season players from all clubs stood around the centre circle for a minute’s applause in honour of the former Ipswich, Newcastle and England manager. Few figures within the game had generated the same respect and affection as the proud Geordie (left).

He had battled ill health for the final 17 years of his life. He always displayed a brave tenacity towards his health challenges that proved inspirational to many of the people he met.

Sir Bobby’s funeral was a family affair but a public memorial service in his honour was held at Durham Cathedral on September 21, 2009. More than 1,000 invited guests packed into the cathedral. They heard moving tributes from former England captain Gary Lineker and the then Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

Lineker said: “It is a sad day and a great loss. He was a wonderful man and will be deeply missed by everybody in the country. I never played for a more enthusiastic man. He gave so much to the game.” Ferguson described Robson as a “great friend, a wonderful individual and tremendous football man”.

The great works of Bobby Robson continue. Before his death on 25 March 2008, he launched the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.

By November 2008, the foundation had raised £1million. The money raised by the foundation funded equipment for the Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre, in the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne, and would go on to fund other cancer projects in the North East of England. The trust continues to work in his name and has raised more than £10m to find effective ways to detect and treat cancer. * To make a donation go to: sirbobbyrobsonfoundation.org.uk