Robbo is Robbie’s inspiration

AS Sunderland search for a manager who can lift the club out of the depths of despair, caretaker boss Robbie Stockdale remembers the day Bryan Robson arrived to revitalise Middlesbrough in the 1990s.

Redcar-born Stockdale was coming through the youth ranks at Boro when Manchester United and England hero Robson took over at Ayresome Park in 1994.

He will be in the dugout along with Billy McKinlay when Sunderland take on Boro at the Riverside this lunchtime.

In Robson’s first season, Boro won promotion to ensure they kicked off their maiden Premier League campaign at the newly-built Riverside Stadium.

That was the catalyst for exciting times at Boro, with big-name players such as Paul Gascoigne, Paul Ince, Fabrizio Ravanelli, and Juninho pitching up on Teesside.

“I remember the day Bryan came in as manager, it was such a big deal, the exEngland captain, he was player-manager at the time and still the best player in training,” he said.

“He was a big influence and it was great to not only play for him but kick on my career after him as well.”

Robbie Stockdale will roll out the Sam Allardyce blueprint as he looks to halt Sunderland’s slide at Middlesbrough.

Stockdale was promoted to first-team coach by Allardyce two years ago, when Big Sam took over a side that was sitting next-tobottom of the Premier League and shipping goals at an alarming rate.

And Allardyce’s first priority was to tighten up the defence to provide the platform which eventually saw Sunderland reach safety.