Born: Sacriston, 18 February 1933
Died: County Durham, 31 July 2009
Position: Central midfielder; inside forward; right winger
Signed: 1 October 1950 from Langley Park; 1 August 1962 from West Bromwich Albion
Fulham debut: Sheffield Wednesday 2-2 Fulham, 7 April 1950
Fulham appearances: 370
Fulham goals: 80
Sold: 20 March 1956 to West Bromwich Albion (£25,000); 1 July 1967 to Vancouver Royals
Fulham fought off stiff competition from Sunderland and Newcastle United to secure Bobby Robson’s signature in October 1950. He made his league debut for the Whites at Sheffield Wednesday in April 1950 and went on to form a formidable front three with Bedford Jezzard and Johnny Haynes, hitting 19 goals in 1952/53 and 23 goals in 1954/55.
He returned to Fulham after a spell with West Bromwich Albion, moving into a deeper midfield role, and scored eighty goals in 370 games over two spells at Craven Cottage. He was appointed Fulham’s manager in January 1968 but couldn’t keep a sinking side in the top flight and paid the penalty for a poor start to the following season by being sacked ten months later with the Whites struggling at the wrong end of the Second Division table. That experience always rankled with Robson but he was genuinely touched by the warmth of the reception he received when returning with Newcastle United in 2001. He sadly died of cancer in 2009 – a great of the English game, having led the national side to the 1990 World Cup semi-finals.
