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Bryan Robson
| Category: | Male Player |
| Year Inducted: | 2002 |
Profile by Robert Galvin, the author of Football's Greatest Heroes, the official book of the National Football Museum Hall of Fame:
Bryan Robson was a talismanic figure for England, Manchester United and West Bromwich Albion; but his courage and commitment took a heavy toll in terms of injury, denying him the possibility of winning a record number of international caps.
Robson played 90 times for his country between 1980 and 1991, finishing his international career as the fifth most-capped player in history and the seventh highest scorer despite suffering more than 20 fractures or dislocations of some sort during his career.
Relentless in his work as a ball-winner and constructive in possession, Robson specialised in making late runs into the opposition penalty area. Once there, his finishing ability, particularly in the air, yielded 26 goals in - an outstanding strike rate from midfield of one goal every three and a half games.
An automatic choice during the eight years that his namesake Bobby Robson was in charge, his value is best illustrated by the fact that he was never named as a substitute for England. On 65 occasions he captained the side.
‘Lesser players have won more, but none have given as much,' Bobby Robson said. ‘England were a taller, prouder team when he played. I could see no failings in him as a player.
‘He missed 35 caps under me along and had he had a normal, relatively trouble-free career he would have broken the all-time British record with something to spare,' Robson added.
Ron Atkinson, the Manchester United manager, made Robson the most expensive footballer in Britain when he paid West Bromwich Albion £1.5 million to bring Robson to Old Trafford in 1981.
‘The best half-backs ever were Duncan Edwards and Dave Mackay, and Robbo is right up there with them,' Atkinson said. ‘Bryan was the essence of United. He was a top-class performer as an out-and-out attacking midfield player capable of scoring 12 or 14 goals, midfield anchor man, or centre-back. I'm also convinced that he had the makings of a great centre-forward.'
‘There was an aura about Bryan,' Alex Ferguson, Atkinson's successor as manager, said, ‘and it was understandable that, when I arrived at Old Trafford in 1986, there was a feeling around the club that winning or losing largely depended on whether or not he was playing.'
Robson did more than any other player to keep Manchester United competitive until Ferguson built a championship-winning side. Now nearing the end of his career and increasingly hampered by injury, restricting his appearances in the first team, Robson's experience was vital during the run-in to the title in 1992-93.
‘He was known as “Captain Marvel” and he performed that role for Manchester United as he had been so frequently for England,' Ferguson said.
At international level, Bobby Robson regarded his namesake as being indispensable to England's cause at successive World Cups, in 1986 and 1990. Sadly, injury cut short his participation in both tournaments. Free from injury in 1982, Robson scored twice against France in Spain.
Bobby Robson praised his captain's unrelenting competitiveness and refusal to give up. As for his ball-winning skills: ‘He would hunt a rival down and get in the tackle, face to face. He challenged fairly, powerfully, correctly - in fact, he was only booked once with England.'
Ferguson described him as a hero. ‘Bryan is miracle of commitment, a human marvel who pushed himself beyond every imaginable limit on the field.'