Fans flock to St James’s for Sir Bobby pilgrimage

Aug 2 2009 by Coreena Ford, Sunday Sun

TEARFUL football fans flocked to Newcastle United’s St James’s Park yesterday to pay their respects to Sir Bobby Robson.

And as thousands made the pilgrimage to the stadium, supporters of football clubs around the country observed a minute’s silence for the great man.

Even fans of Newcastle’s fierce rivals Sunderland chanted ‘There’s only one Bobby Robson’ during one minute’s applause ahead of their team’s friendly against Celtic in Glasgow.

It was also announced that a minute’s applause will precede all Football League matches on the opening weekend of the season in tribute to Sir Bobby Robson. Players will wear black armbands during the games on August 7, 8 and 9.

A spokesman for the League said: “Applause felt more appropriate as a way of celebrating his achievements.”

The tributes at St James’s started early yesterday, as hundreds braved torrential rain to lay flowers and gifts and sign a book of remembrance at the stadium.

By lunchtime the entire first tier of the Sir John Hall Stand had become a shrine - covered with shirts, scarves, flags, banners and flowers laid by grieving fans, and a constant flow also lined up to sign a giant Newcastle shirt which was draped across scores of seats.

A groundsman, who did not wish to be named, said the shirt had sat in a corner of a stand for a couple of years.

He added: “We thought it would be a nice gesture to allow fans to sign it.”

Families stood tearfully as a steady procession of well-wishers, including Toon legend Malcolm ‘Supermac’ Macdonald, added to the colourful tribute.

Everyone present spoke movingly of their love for a man who many hailed a legend and who had been a true inspiration.

And a club insider estimated that 15,000 had already passed through the ground since Sir Bobby’s death on Friday.

Kevin Gregg, 47, a security guard from Blakelaw, Newcastle, was with Sir Bobby when he came to the Magpies home ground for his charity match on Sunday.

The married dad-of-three said: “I walked beside Sir Bobby as they pushed him round the ground in his wheelchair.

“He looked so very weak he should not really have been there, but knowing the man there would have been no stopping him.

“It was so emotional. There were people in the crowd – men, women and children – and they were all openly crying.

“It is devastating that he’s gone, it’s like losing your granddad.