Sir Bobby Robson's 10 Greatest Moments At Newcastle

10. His Appointment Made Us All Believe Again

Like all good stories, ours should start at the beginning, and in September 1999, with the team sitting rock bottom of the Premier League, Newcastle United came calling. Robson even commented at the time that the offer they made him was "miles below the going rate" but after some token negotiations he was finally given the job. His stature at the time commanded respect, but so too had Dalglish when he arrived from title-winning Blackburn, and Gullit when he swooped in on a mandate of "sexy football". Robson was different though, Robson was one of us, and despite the rest of the world looking at the position as a daunting poisoned chalice, to him it was an honour and the realisation of a childhood dream. You could have picked any Newcastle fan to be the new manager that day, man, woman, or child they'd all have beamed that same smile back to the cameras in front of the ground. It just so happened that the fan they'd picked was one of the most respected and experienced managers in world football. Ask yourself how many clubs get to experience that, and you'll understand why the 2nd of September 1999 remains one of the most fondly thought of days in Newcastle United's history.