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Sir Bobby Robson
Saturday March 19, 2005.
Keith Usher leaves City after 18 years. Best Keith story?
His boyhood (and manhood) hero is Sir Bobby Robson. It was a long running joke in the office. someone would shout, "Keith, Bobby is on the phone". Keith would dutifully go along with the joke, playing along with the latest prankster until the joke ran thin. In those pre Sir Bobby days.
One day, about April 1990, Keith had to deal with a rather more persistent than usual caller. "But Keith, I really am Bobby Robson, yes, that Bobby Robson, manager of England”. Keith would get more agitated and redder in the face as he conversation went on.
“You know that friendly you're trying to arrange against England, sorry, we've got no free England dates before The World Cup, sorry Keith", the caller proferred.
"Get off the line, if York had a quid for every Bobby Robson impersonator, we'd be richer than Manchester United", replied Keith, still getting redder in the face by the minute as he got terser and terser.
With the conversation going around in circles, until the penny dropped, it was Bobby Robson, apologising to Keith that he couldn't bring his England squad to Bootham Crescent for a warm up game before Italia 90.
Bobby Robson, what a man, finding time in his busy scheduIe to call someone he’d never met, getting insulted and keeping his calm.
What a legend.
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