SIR BOBBY ROBSON (1933 - 2009)

* Born on February 18, 1933 in Sacriston, County Durham.

PLAYING DAYS

* Began professional career with London club Fulham in 1950 and also played for Midlands club West Bromwich Albion and the Vancouver Royals of the North American Soccer League.

* First called up to England squad in 1956, and managed 20 appearances scoring four times.

MANAGEMENT DEBUT

* Began at Fulham, before moving to Ipswich Town at the end of the 1960s, where he stayed until 1982 and was named honorary president in 2006.

* Won the 1978 FA Cup trophy and the 1981 UEFA Cup at Portman Road, earning him plaudits and the England manager's post in 1982 after Ron Greenwood was sacked.

* Started poorly, failing to qualify for the 1984 European championships.

* Took the team to the quarter-finals of the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, where Argentine Diego Maradona infamously pulled off the 'Hand of God' as England lost 2-0.

* Knocked out of Euro 1988 but enjoyed success at the 1990 World Cup in Italy, guiding England to the semi-finals only to lose on penalties to West Germany.

FORAY INTO EUROPE

* Began at PSV Eindhoven immediately after the World Cup, winning back-to-back Dutch championships in 1991 and 1992.

* Moved to Sporting Lisbon in 1992, where his interpreter was Jose Mourinho, though was sacked in 1994 and moved to Portuguese rivals Porto with Mourinho as his assistant.

* Repeated the same feat by winning the Portuguese championship in 1995 and 1996.

* The Anglo-Portuguese duo moved to Spanish giants Barcelona later that year, where Robson signed the Brazilian Ronaldo and won three trophies in his first season; the Spanish Super Cup, the Copa del Rey and the Cup Winners' Cup.

RETURN TO ENGLAND

* Managed Newcastle from 1999-2004, winning his first home match in charge 8-0 against Sheffield Wednesday, striker Alan Shearer running riot with five goals.

* Took Newcastle to fourth in the Premier League (2002) and third the following year, but despite Champions League football no success came and Newcastle instead reached the semi-finals of the 2004 UEFA Cup.

* Robson was knighted in 2002.

BATTLING CANCER

* First diagnosed with cancer in 1992 while at PSV.

* Three years later doctors found a malignant melanoma when Robson was at Porto.

* Not until 2006 did cancer strike Robson again, in his lungs. Had a tumour removed from his brain leaving him with partial paralysis.

* Tumours returned to Robson's lungs in 2007.