BRYAN ROBSON: Every kid wanted to be Sir Bobby Charlton

Growing up as a boy in the North-East of England, Sir Bobby Charlton was everything I wanted to be. He was the perfect role model for every young footballer.

He was from Ashington, 30 miles up the road from where I was born in Chester-le-Street. A terrific footballer, a fierce competitor and with a thunderbolt of a shot, he led Manchester United by example and when he won the World Cup with England, well, every kid in my neighbourhood wanted to be him.

I loved George Best, his charisma, maverick nature and flamboyance, but Sir Bobby's principles made him stand out for other reasons.

He was impeccable. He was never sent off and often it would seem he never even got his shirt dirty. It was easy to see how he became such a great ambassador for United and England.

When I signed for Manchester United from West Brom, he made sure he sought me out, shook me by the hand and simply said: 'Welcome to United, I'm looking forward to watching you play... and make sure you enjoy it.'

Over the years, I saw him do the same to every other United signing. For all he achieved he was incredibly humble. He'd never say, 'You've got to win the European Cup or win the league title, to be a success like me'.

Yet for all his kind, considerate side, he was a tough, angry man on the football pitch. That's why he was held in such regard by peers like Pele and Eusebio. He brought aggression and a determination to win that made him a tough opponent. Sir Alf Ramsey hailed him as one of the greatest players he'd ever seen but also praised how hard he worked for the team.

While he was immensely talented, what happened in Munich in 1958 made him all the more determined to succeed, not so much for himself but for those beloved friends and team-mates he lost.

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