WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Middlesbrough fans who insist there is "only one Bryan Robson" are, of course, quite wrong. The other one entered the north-east's hall of fame long before his namesake, as a member of Newcastle's Fairs Cup- winning side in 1969 and of two promoted Sunderland teams, in 1976, when they were Second Division champions, and in 1980. In a 20-year playing career he ventured south twice, each time to West Ham.

Born 100 yards from Roker Park, Robson began his career with Newcastle but had three spells with his home-town club, for whom he played his last senior game in 1984 at the age of 38. Now 50, he has rejoined the club as reserve-team manager.

He accepted Peter Reid's offer only after careful consideration, having enjoyed a successful four years on the youth staff at Manchester United, where among others he coached Sunday's FA Cup hero, David Beckham, as a second-year YTS boy. "But it was a chance to move back to the north- east at a time when there seemed to be a lot of potential for the club," he said.

After retiring as a player he ran a newsagents' shop in Hexham, where he still lives, until his old Newcastle captain, Bobby Moncur, invited him to coach at Hartlepool. "I wanted a spell out of the game but realised after a while that I wanted to get back into it," he said.

His wife, Maureen, is a former table tennis international, capped 50 times by England. They have two daughters, 25-year-old Louise and Gemma, 15, and a 23-year-old son, Stephen, who plays for Tow Law Town in the Northern League.

Jon Culley