Manchester United : 'Robson wasn’t brilliant, he was awesome'

'When I was growing up, Bryan Robson was captain of England and Manchester United. He was the best player, and the most important player, in the country.

'Every single challenge he went in for was as if his life seemed to depend on it. He seemed as though he cared all the time, he was a huge driving force for his country and his club. That's what I aspired to be as I got older, someone who was committed to the cause.'

'My favourite player and role model was Bryan Robson,' echoed Roy Keane. 'His tackling, goalscoring and box-to-box presence for United and England were proof that you could be a great player without doing tricks. Robson wasn't brilliant, but he was awesome.'

A hero to heroes, Robbo set the benchmark for midfield brilliance at United. Succeeded by Paul Ince and latterly Keane in the Reds' engine room, he was the first of three midfield greats to grace Old Trafford during a gilded era which would yield silverware galore.