FAIRS CLUB: BRYAN ‘POP’ ROBSON
Peter Mann
‘POP’ ROBSON IS ONE OF THE ANOMALIES IF YOU WILL,
IN THE HISTORY OF NEWCASTLE UNITED
Born in Sunderland, playing for and coaching Sunderland
over five separate spells, he was to become a Newcastle
legend during his spell on Tyneside.
Bryan Stanley Robson joined the Magpies in the
November of 1962 for the princely sum of £75 from local
side, Clara Vale. In leaving just short of an impressive
decade later, the striker would have netted nearly a
century of goals in near 250 appearances, won the Second
Division championship, fired the Magpies to European
glory, and capped by England at under23 level. Not bad
for a Wearsider plying his trade on Geordie soil.
It would however take the number seven some time, not
only to make his first debut, but make a significant
impact. Two years in fact, after arriving at the club as a
raw seventeen year old, the debut for Robson would
arrive, but it was worth waiting for. Away to Charlton
Athletic and in front of some 22,939 spectators, Robson
would net the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win.
However, he would only score four more in his debut
season, totalling five in twenty. It was enough however
for him to claim a championship medal as the Magpies
edged the Second Division title, by a point, from runnersup Northampton Town.
A further twenty-five goals over the next three seasons
would be a poor return though as the Magpies struggled
to adapt to First Division football. In fact it would not be
until the arrival of a certain Wyn Davies that Robson’s,
and United’s fortunes, would begin to change.
That defining moment would come midway through the
1967-68 season as both a shot-shy Robson (with four)
and Newcastle (with fifty-five) finished the season with a
surprise, back-door entry, into Europe. The reason for
United’s qualification, a tenth placed league finish and
the continental ruling of one city – one club being in
effect.
With Davies and Robson now leading the frontline
though United were a visibly changed side and, over the
ensuing three seasons, the duo plundered nearly a century
of goals between them. But first there was to be the small
matter of 1969, a season that would become Robson’s
best in United’s colours, and what a season was had.
Seven goals were to be scored by Robson in the opening
nine league fixtures including an early double in the 3-2
home win over Chelsea in mid-August. Further braces
from United’s number seven were witnessed in the league
games away to Ipswich Town in October and at home to
Southampton in November, both in a 4-1 United win. The
club though would only pick up seven victories in the
opening half of the
season, Robson
netting a dozen
times of his sides
thirty-three goals at
the time.
B e i n g a n e v e rpresent this
glorious season
would
pay
dividends though
as a further ten goals in the league were added to his tally,
including consecutive doubles in late April against
Wolves and Stoke. They were victories that would lead
United into a ninth place finish, their highest for a
decade.
Robson would also be at it in the cups as well, registering
three times in the national competitions. He would
though, excel on the continent, top scoring with six goals
as United roared across Europe claiming the Fairs Cup at
the first attempt. In this trailblazing season Robson would
score in the opening match with Feyenoord, the
home leg of the tie with Sporting Lisbon, both legs
of the games with Real Zaragoza, and a brace in the
5-1 home win over Vitoria Setubal in front of nearly
58,000 spectators.
31
Continental glory was to be the kick-start Robson
required for his United career and he went on to become
the clubs top scorer in the following two seasons. None
though would be better than the thirty hit during the
1968-69 season.
Although Robson was to become a Fairs Cup everpresent for United, along with Davies, Gibb and McFaul,
he would only score twice more in Europe, the home
brace against Anderlecht in March 1970 as Davies,
slowly but surely, began taking the scorers mantle.
The only hat-trick of Robson’s United career arrived at
the end of the 1970 season when, in the penultimate
game, he would score three times in a 5-1 rout of
Manchester United in front of a 43,000 plus home crowd.
Robson’s last season would see him again become top
scorer, with just ten strikes, and scoring in his last
appearance for the club, winning 1-0 at home to
Tottenham in the February. He would also take spells at
West Ham, Carlisle, Manchester United, Hartlepool and
several non-league sides upon leaving United for
£120,000 in 1971.
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