Benitez backing for book helping Sir Bobby charity
A NEW football book published to raise money for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation has found a celebrity admirer in one Rafael Benitez.
traces the influences of 58 legends of the game, including Alan Shearer, Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi.
All the proceeds are going to the charitable trust set up in the name of the former Newcastle United manager, and has raised £30,000 already.
Benitez has lent his support to the publication and has been pictured holding a copy in St James’ famous pitch-side tunnel.
Author Daniel Storey said: “Everyone has their own opinions of what makes an iconic footballer.
“It’s that ‘special something’ addition to their on-field talents. Bobby for me is the epitome of that.
“Ask anyone about him and the first thing they mention is not football, it’s his personality.
“They’ll tell you how they feel about him or about the time they met him instead.
“It’s not that his great achievements in football weren’t important, it’s just that he means more than that.
“He was a man who understood his role and the responsibilities that went along with it and he was unchanged by it all.”
Launched in 2008, the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation has raised over £11m and supports people across the Author Daniel Storey with his book in Sir
North East and Cumbria suffering from cancer.
Much of the content was originally written for Mr Storey’s employer, Football365, but he decided to bring the work together into one place and raise money for a good cause.
He said: “I’d written many of these pieces for Football365 and it was never my intention to be paid for them twice.
“I wanted to create a book that people would enjoy owning and reading and which also made a significant donation to an extremely worthwhile cause.
“I’m absolutely thrilled by how well sales are going and how much money we’ve already been able to donate to Sir Bobby’s charity. I’m grateful to everyone who has bought a copy.”
costs £13.99, with £10 per book going to the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation. and some of the artwork inside