‘£1.5m! Sir Matt could not take it’
RON ATKINSON has revealed that Manchester United’s capture of iconic midfielder Bryan Robson saw Sir Matt Busby quit his boardroom role.
Big Ron (below) made Robson his No.1 transfer target after becoming Old Trafford boss but the £1.5million fee paid to
West Brom sent Busby over the edge.
Busby who had retired as a manager after resurrecting the club following the Munich disaster still had an influential voice after being invited to become a director.
Revealing for the first time the consequences of the then British record transfer Atkinson stated: “Sometimes you make a signing and you wonder about it. When I signed Robbo I knew we were signing pure gold which was borne out.
“But Sir Matt Busby actually resigned from the board over the Robbo deal. Not with any acrimony or anything like that. He said he just couldn’t come to terms with the money flying around.”
Fast forward to the present era with Jack Grealish moving for £100m and Atkinson knows Busby, if he was still alive, would be dumbstruck.
“I just wonder what he would think now when you see players who are often no more than substitutes going for £30m, £40m.
“I think he would be turning in his grave,” Atkinson said.
“There was no fit of pique over Robbo – he just couldn’t believe what was happening.”
Atkinson was amongst the celebrities at the premiere of a film capturing Captain Marvel Robson’s glittering career.
“It’s a good film. There was a big do in Manchester to launch it. There was a galaxy of stars. I was the only one there I didn’t know!” he smiled.