Great article and Peter you are spot on about this being Sir Bobbys night and hope it isnt spoilt by a minority
Its a real tough one tbh a demonstration for our hatred of Ashley should be kept for the leeds game imho and not overshadow today
It’s Sir Bobby’s night, nothing else should get in the way
Jul 26 2009 by Neil Farrington, Sunday Sun
HE will renew a personal rivalry he still cherishes almost two decades on. Others will relive football hell. One or two more will feel like they are coming home.
Then there’s the not-so-small matter of Alan Shearer reappearing on the St James’s Park pitch if not, sadly, the dug-out.
Oh, and it’s England v Germany. 1990. All over again.
But Peter Beardsley is anxious to ensure that tonight’s reprise of the nation’s greatest game since 1966 is ultimately all about one man.
Not him. Not Guido Buchwald, who shadowed his every move – and had the shirt off his back – that night in Turin. Not Gazza and his waterworks. Not even Shearer.
Nobody but Sir Bobby Robson.
“It’s Bobby’s night, and nothing else should get in the way,” says Beardsley, the man Robson referred to as “my little gem”.
“I’m sure we’ll all get a great reception, but he is the man, just as he was the man back in 1990.
“I know the fans may want to have their say on Alan (Shearer) and the situation at Newcastle now, but even that mustn’t overshadow the point of the occasion – paying tribute to Bobby.”
If the Italia 90 semi-final was arguably England’s last truly great game, it was literally Robson’s last in charge.
And that is part of the reason why Beardsley treasures its memory.
“It was a fantastic game which I look back on with pride and disappointment. It will live with a lot of people forever,” adds Robson’s fellow Geordie legend.
“Inwardly, I was gutted afterwards – we came so close. But I was more gutted for Bobby.
“It was his last game with England. As a player, you got more chances, but he didn’t.
“If anyone deserved to get to the final – and one of the hardest things for us to bear was that we knew we would have been 90 per cent sure to win the final against Argentina – it was Bobby.
“The way he prepared us, organised us and inspired us was just fantastic, and for it to end like it did on penalties . . . well, it was the worst way.
“We hadn’t played brilliantly during the tournament, but we were outstanding that night and probably should have won it on chances created.
“But the Germans were superb in the shoot-out. Both sides knew that game was pretty much the World Cup final, but they were ice cool.
“I was obviously glad to be one of the three England scorers on penalties – but nobody really remembers that now. All they remember is Stuart Pearce and Chris Waddle missing.
“I felt so much for them both. I was gutted, but they must have been 20 times worse.
“But the other thing that’s stayed with me ever since is how gracious the Germans were afterwards.
“Their attitude was sensational. I know it’s easier to act that way when you win, but I won’t ever forget the respect they showed us.”
And no greater respect than that shared between Beardsley and Guido Buchwald, the defender who was his shadow through 120 minutes.
“I never used to swap shirts with players, but I did with Buchwald that night, because we’d had such a tough old battle,” Beardsley recalls.
Born just six days apart, the two men were like warring twins in Turin – “he kicked me and I kicked him”.
And they are set to renew acquaintance, with Buchwald one of at least five members of Germany’s 1990 team confirmed to play tonight.
But theirs will be just one of many sideshows to the main event.
“I’m delighted that the game on Sunday is in Newcastle, but to be fair to Bobby, he’s the one man who could have hosted this game anywhere in the country.
“He’s a national treasure, and it’s no surprise that he not only keeps battling illness the way he does, but he has put so much into raising money for charity.
“He’s unique.”
