The country has been mourning the sad passing of Bobby Robson. It would be easy to simply praise Bobby for the things he achieved as a player, including representing our nation at the highest level, or to focus on the great achievements that he gained in decades of club and country management all around Europe.
But that would be missing the reasons that made Bobby Robson a giant of a man. Many of us feel that loss so badly because, essentially, he is one of us, a proud son of the great county of Durham, brought up in the school of hard knocks, never complaining or moaning about his lot in life. Instead he always strived for more, and thankfully he always got it.
Bob came from the heart of County Durham in Langley Park, a village whose miners were still digging coal in the traditional manner into the early 1970s, long after most of the industry had turned to state of the art technology. But Langley Park coal, like Bobby, was special. The thin Victorian seam was made of genuine black diamonds, coal that burnt with such intensity that it was vital in raising the overall value of the coal that it was mixed with. Without that special ingredient much of the coal from under the North Sea would have been much less valuable.
And there is a parallel with Bob himself. He was a genuine diamond who mixed with other people to raise the overall value of their contribution in their chosen field. How else could small town Ipswich FC win cups at home and in Europe. How else could we explain the way he welded together the best performing England team that we have seen since 1966. And how else can you explain the great performance of teams across the breath of Europe under Bobby's guidance.
And his real gift was to be always prepared to commit himself 100% and convince others around him to do the same. He was always willing to put others first and to always help others to achieve more.
In his last battle against cancer he carried forward that grit and determination not to give in, but to aim for the highest goal and as always to achieve it. He could have cut himself off from the world and focused on his health and well being and ignoring other needs. But no, that wasn't Bobby's way.
He inspired people across the world with his capacity to battle and keep coming back for more. The culmination of his battles was the great game played at St James a few days before he left us.
Football is in the blood of the people of this area, and it is with great pride that we can say we were privileged to see one of its greatest experts fulfil his and our wildest dreams. He will be tremendously missed, but his legacy will live forever.
Newcastle Chronicle and Journal
| Promoted by Paul Foy on behalf of Dave Anderson, both of St Cuthbert's Church Hall, Shibdon Road, Blaydon, NE21 5PT |