BRYAN ROBSON: LANCE ARMSTRONG WILL HELP US SAVE LIVES –
GEOFF THOMAS and Bryan Robson are wondering how difficult it might be to squeeze into the shirts they wore in the 1990 FA Cup final when the former Crystal Palace captain notes something strangely prophetic about his team’s strip.
It is the letters emblazoned across the front, put there at the time to advertise a certain airline’s transatlantic service. ‘ LA,’ it reads. ‘ Bit spooky that,’ says Thomas.
It is spooky because of what Thomas has planned for this summer — a fundraising Tour de France ride with a certain Lance Armstrong alongside him for two of the 21 stages he will complete one day ahead of the professional peloton.
Thomas is riding with a team of cyclists in a bid to raise £1million for the Cure Leukaemia charity that is so central to his own survival story.
But the decision to recruit Armstrong to raise awareness for the cause, even simply as a fellow cancer survivor rather than a disgraced cyclist, continues to divide opinion.
Robson has spent the past few minutes listening to Thomas defend himself to a small gathering of journalists when he decides to give his view as another prominent sportsman who counts himself fortunate to have emerged from his own cancer battle.
‘It’s far more important what Geoff is talking about here with Lance than the other part that we all know about,’ says Robson.
‘If he raises the profile of this for leukaemia and cancer sufferers, that can only help.’
But is that justification enough? ‘Yes,’ he says. ‘It’s about how many lives it’s going to save in the future, with his involvement with Geoff.’
At this point Thomas interjects. ‘I’m not naive,’ he says. ‘And I can’t change what has happened in the past. But what I’d like Lance to do is return to what he was doing before, which was raise shedloads of money for people who have been struck down by cancer. That’s my aim.’
One of the riders committed to raising £50,000 to ride with Thomas — the only woman — pulled out in the wake of the Armstrong announcement. But Thomas was encouraged by the fact that two more women then stepped forward to join him in France.
‘This was always going to divide opinion,’ says Thomas. ‘And I respect everyone’s opinion. I respect the opinion of people in positions of authority in cycling; that’s their role. But my message is bigger. I believe my message is stronger.’
These two men, who were once the embodiment of health and fitness, have had to combat cancer. After his first diagnosis 12 years ago, Thomas was given three months to live.
Robson will say his cancer scare was nothing like as terrifying, even if a tumour in the throat demanded a course of radiotherapy. Only in August, for what he hopes will be his final medical check-up, will he get the all-clear.
For the former United and England captain, cancer proved a life-changing experience. He decided to step away from football management and focus on what he valued most.
‘I was the manager in Thailand when I was diagnosed,’ he says. ‘I just thought I had a sore throat. But then a lump came up. I went to the hospital and the surgeon said, “I’m sorry Mr Robson but it looks like you might have a tumour”.
‘A couple of days later and the tumour had been taken out. But the cancer had gone into my glands so I had to have the radiotherapy as well. It is a shock to the system.
‘It makes you appreciate what you have in life. It took me to a place where I stepped away from management. I didn’t want to get up at 6am every day. I wanted to go on holiday, have time with my grandchildren. You have a different perspective.’
As well as looking forward to a brighter future, Robson and Thomas are in a Manchester hotel to reflect on the past, on the two games they contested at Wembley all those years ago.
‘The first game was end to end,’ says Robson. ‘A great game. It was the first time we took notice of Brighty (Mark Bright) and Wrighty (Ian Wright) who were top players. And Geoff (Thomas) — the career he had after that.
‘In the replay we gave Crystal Palace a lot more respect and just kicked lumps out of each other.’
Thomas nods. ‘I remember Bryan taking lumps out of Alan Pardew in the first 30 seconds,’ he says.
‘But we thought we were in charge once Wrighty came on in that first game and did what he did (scoring twice). We came within seven minutes of winning the cup.’
Indeed they did, and Thomas will be at Selhurst Park tomorrow for Palace’s game against United. There will be a nod to the past, for sure, but more of a focus on this summer’s LA story. To sponsor Geoff Thomas in his bid to raise £1million for Cure Leukaemia, visit: justgiving.com/Geoff-Thomas-2015