Fans flock to St James’s for Sir Bobby pilgrimage

Aug 2 2009 by Coreena Ford, Sunday Sun

“He deserves all of this and more, I think they should rename St James’s Park after him. He should at least have a stand named after him.

“I worked here when he was here . . .when he was on his way out to his car, he would always stop and sign autographs even if it was raining, even if he had his hands full.”

Father-of-five Ian Runciman, 47, who works for the Ministry of Defence at RAF Boulmer, and his son Ewan, nine, tied a Berwick FC scarf to the stand.

He said: “We’ve come down from Amble to pay our respects. It is the least we could do.

“I just wanted to pay tribute to a pure football man.

“Sir Bobby, when he was at Newcastle, came to watch Berwick play Albion Rovers and the crowd gave him a great reception.

“There are not many Premiership football managers who would take the time to do something like that.

“People loved him because he was such a nice guy. . . one of us.”

Sir Bobby’s former neighbour Carol James, 51, a married mother-of-three and a kitchen assistant at Sacriston Juniors Primary School, remembered playing football in the street with Sir Bobby as a child.

She said: “I grew up on the same street in Langley Park as Sir Bobby and all the kids loved him.

“We all knew when he was back because he had a special car with special suspension and all the kids would chase it down the street.

“Then he’d get out and have a kick-about with us all.”

She said Sir Bobby delighted the village by bringing the 1978 FA Cup back to Langley Park and displaying it in the local Spa supermarket window.

Carol added: “When England beat Cameroon at Italia 90 we were all at the pub and the place went wild.

“Then the whole pub marched round to Sir Bobby’s father’s bungalow and knocked on the door.

“When he answered we were all on our knees bowing to him . . . he had tears in his eyes he was so proud.”

Neil Barrass, 31, a father-of-three who works as a slater, travelled down from Glasgow with wife Samantha and younger daughters Megan, nine and Morgan, six, to lay flowers.

He said: “I was at the charity match on Sunday and I’m so, so upset that he’s gone.

“He gave people respect and that’s why they respected him.

“I think if more people were like Sir Bobby Robson the world would not be in the state it is in today.”

:: Newcastle yesterday announced that the ground would remain open between 9am and 5pm daily next week to allow more people to pay their respects.