Bryan Robson is one of the most iconic and successful Middlesbrough managers in their history and was a huge part of the Boro boom that saw big investment and a move to the state of the art Riverside Stadium in the 90’s. But the way in which he was let go, left a bitter taste for the man once nicknamed Captain Marvel.
Documented in his autobiography ‘Robbo’, the former Middlesbrough manager explained the hurt he suffered when Chairman Steve Gibson decided to call time on his 7-year stint as Boro boss.
Robson, a former England and Manchester United captain, had already overseen some unbelievable events at Middlesbrough football club; promotion, cup finals galore, relegation, docked points, not to mention attracting Champion’s League and World Cup winning talent to the Riverside.
Robbo drafted in Venables
But Robbo and his management team were suffering a poor run of form during the 2000/2001 season and sat bottom of the league in December. Unselfishly, Robson drafted in help in the shape of ex-England manager Terry Venables. The partnership worked and Boro were dragged up to fourteenth place in the Premier League come the end of the season.
However, the fact that Bryan Robson had-albeit for the good of the club-enlisted the help of another manager, it was seen in the eyes of some that he had made his own position untenable.
In the Chapter ‘Up to stay’, Robson recalled the situation after the 2000/2001 season had finished. “Looking back, I obviously cut my own throat, but when I made the decision to bring in Terry, my only concern was the future of the club.”
He added, “As we now know, though, that was the downfall of Bryan Robson as manager of Middlesbrough. What angered me is the way in which I lost my job.”
Tabloid rumours
As the club’s staff prepared to go on their annual trip to the Singapore Sevens, news started to circulate in the tabloid press. Robson recalled, “When I was at the airport for the flight out , I had a phone call from a pal who said he’d heard Steve McClaren, Sir Alex’s number two at United, had been lined up to take my job. So I asked Steve Gibson if he was thinking of bringing in a new man. He assured me he wasn’t.
“Whilst in Singapore, I rang my parents and my dad said, ‘Robbo, what’s going on like? I keep reading reports in the papers that Steve McClaren’s got your job and Steve Harrison is coming from Villa as his assistant.’
“I told him it was OK, I’d spoken to Steve Gibson and he said it wasn’t true.”
Unfortunately for Robson, it transpired that the rumours were true and when he saw all of the headlines for himself, he confronted Middlesbrough Chief Executive Keith Lamb. “I threw the (newspaper) cuttings in front of him.
“Don’t tell me there’s nothing in these stories, I know how it works, Keith.” Blasted Robbo.
“Surely you could have had the honesty and decency, after seven years, to come to me when we were together in Singapore and tell me the truth.”
Meeting with Gibson
A meeting was quickly orchestrated with Chairman Steve Gibson, where the supremo told him that his position had become awkward because he had brought in Terry Venables.
Robson told of the response he gave at the time, ‘Steve,’ I said, ‘I’ve got absolutely no problem with that, but when I asked you the question at the airport about bringing in Steve McClaren, you said it wasn’t true.
“We’ve just been away for a week in Singapore and all this has been going on. You’ve been having phone calls with Steve McClaren and you couldn’t tell me to my face. I just can’t believe you.
“You could have had the decency to tell me before I read it in the papers and had my dad on the phone to Singapore to tell me that somebody’s got my job. That’s the only gripe I have with you.”
The former Boro boss goes on to say that Gibson was apologetic, with the Chairman saying, “Yes, I should have told you. I shouldn’t have let go so far down the line, but it was difficult for me because we’ve had seven really good years. I’m sorry it has come to this, but it was awkward for me to find a way to tell you.”
No hard feelings
Despite the way in which the situation played out, Robson insists that it is now water under the bridge and that he understands how difficult a predicament the Chairman was in. It was testament to how close the pair had become that the decision was so difficult to navigate.
Robson will forever be ingrained in the history of the club for what he managed to achieve. He was a major factor in bringing one of the best footballers the club has ever seen to the area in Juninho. Two promotions, three cup finals and a relegation mean that his time at Boro is unlikely to ever be forgotten.