Bryan Robson
Bryan Robson OBE (born 11 January 1957 ) is an English football manager and a former player. He began his career with West Bromwich Albion in 1972 before moving to Manchester United in 1981 where he became the longest serving captain in the club's history. He managed Middlesbrough for seven years, guiding them to two promotions to the FA Premier League and to the first three cup finals of the club's history, later returning to West Bromwich Albion for a two-year spell as manager after a brief and unsuccessful spell in charge of Bradford City. He has also managed Sheffield United and the Thailand national team. He has also been employed by Manchester United more recently as an ambassador for the club. Born in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, Robson began his playing career at West Bromwich Albion, before moving on to Manchester United, whom he captained to three FA Cups and a European Cup Winners' Cup. He also won two FA Premiership winners medals. Towards the end of his playing career he moved into management as player-manager with Middlesbrough. Robson had a good goal-scoring record; terrific anticipation, movement, timing on and off the ball; was fiercely competitive and brave; possessed high levels of stamina; tackled, passed well and was also a good header of the ball.[citation needed] He represented England on 90 occasions between 1980 and 1991, making him the sixth most capped England player of all-time, and has the eleventh highest goalscoring tally with 26. Robson captained his country 65 times, with only Bobby Moore and Billy Wright having captained England on more occasions. Robson is also known by the nicknames "Robbo" and "Captain Marvel". Bobby Robson stated that Robson was, along with Alan Shearer, the best British player he ever worked with. In August 2011, Robson was voted as the greatest ever Manchester United player from a poll of ex Manchester United Players as part of a new book, 19, released to celebrate their 19th league title win. Robson began his management career with Middlesbrough in 1994, although he did not retire from playing until 1997. In seven years as Middlesbrough manager, he guided them to three Wembley finals, which were all lost, and earned them promotion to the Premier League on two occasions. He later returned to West Bromwich Albion for two years as manager, helping them become the first top division team in 14 years to avoid relegation after being bottom of the league table on Christmas Day. Less successful have been his short-lived spells as manager of Bradford City and Sheffield United, the former lasting barely six months and ending in relegation from what is now the Football League Championship, and the latter lasting less than a year and seeing his expensively-assembled side fail to challenge for promotion to the Premier League. On 23 September 2009, Robson was appointed manager of the Thailand national team. He resigned on 8 June 2011. On 1 July 2011, Robson was appointed "Global Ambassador" at Manchester United.