You know it takes a lot to keep an old codger down. Some prankster decided that it was time to wave byebye to Old Robby but it takes more than a change in webside to keep this old codger down. It might have taken me longer than you youngsters to find out where you were hiding but I found you and I didn't have to count to a hundred before I started looking (which is a good job because I get confused beyond fifty these days). You see I come from the old school and one thing about old fools is that they have staying power. So I set about the task with determination. I was determined to find you and I have. Believe me there's life in this old dog yet. I sought you there, I sought you here, I sought you everywhere and I eventually found you. I was only saying that to Hughie the other day before I went away for a few days by the sea. Mr Shepherd said I'd been doing such a good job that I deserved a break so we went for a trip to Istanbul. It's a marvellous place you know, absolutely marvellous and full of old relics. I felt very much at home. I don't know what the Chairman was doing while I was sightseeing but I think he must have been trying to swap some of his business assets as he kept talking about a transfer and celebrating at a Tenor Party . There must have been a lot of people under the influence there because he kept talking about millions and about drunk and disorderly. I'm just happy these days to be able to wear my shellsuit and I leave all the business things to him. I hear we might be having another holiday in Spain soon. I was a bit disappointed with the Phosphorus but I was very impressed with the Blue Ming Mosque. It's based on the Spanish City at Whitley Bay you know. It has a big dome and it's close to the sea but there isn't a roller coaster in sight which pleased me a lot. We've had enough roller coaster rides over the last few years and it makes me sick. Talking of feeing sick, I read some of the things that Frank Lavache was saying while we were away. Trust him to wait until I was away before he made reference to the north. I'll sort him out next month at Wembledon. Just you watch me. I'm thinking of having Yuri Cowbyer up front. It could be a masterstroke as his team mates won't be able to tell the difference between the two and will leave plenty of space for Alan to exploit. Alan Shearer has been playing well lately and I think he will score a lot of goals in the World Cup in 2002. So will Donald Ferguson although he hasn't been scoring many for Scotland lately. But it's surely only a matter of time before he causes some real damage in Scotland. Before I go, I must make a quick comment about Stuart Glass. He's no mug and I expect him to play a small part in our cup run. It will be nice to have a Welshman in our team on the left side of midfield to stop all the leeks. We've come a long way. A long way from the place that was Communicata. Will somebody please send me a D.mail warning if we're going to move again. I know we have a long way to go, but we've come a long way already.

-- Anonymous, March 09, 2000

Answers

To Robby : If you're the real Robby Bobson, can I have an autographed pic. Just for my great grandson you understand ?

And keep the bulletins coming, cos I find them very informative - helps me put names to faces and stuff.

-- Anonymous, March 10, 2000

Thank goodness you made it, Robby Bobson. We would have hated to have had to go on without you.

I think I'm in love.

val.

-- Anonymous, March 10, 2000

I've been down lately, when "over there" finished I thought thats it, I'll just go home and go to bed until the semi final.

Look at RIks before I close down, he might know something! Yeah right desperation makes you do funny things! However he did post my team selection last week, after abusing me mind.

I'm glad Robby found this site.

Does anyone know where Diego is. How is he going to send his letters to his amigo.

Can any of you locals pop over to that nice Mr Shearers potting shed or perhaps to the training ground. Softy? Jonno? Screach? Steph?

-- Anonymous, March 10, 2000

Diego has been found, and has posted his latest missive about the paella party. Stll waiting to hear from him regarding Gallacher's injury. The posting might be under one of the categories or "unassigned". The stragglers from ss Communitanic are being dragged in as we go. :-)

-- Anonymous, March 10, 2000

Ee there are some rascals on here. Owldal asked me for a signed phonograph and I sent one to him/her as an affliction to a reply. You know what? That nice man at Yahoo says there's no such person as owldal@yahoo.com. I bet none of you youngsters spotted that. So just remember I'll be watching out for all you cheats and reporting. As my dear old mother bless her used to say "You can fool some of the people all of the time but there's no fool like our Robby".

-- Anonymous, March 10, 2000

I just saw Val's letter and I'm pleased for you that you are in love. In fact I'm very happy although I thought you were in Hong Kong, not in Love. Are they close? I went to Hong Kong Garden last summer. It's next to the chippy on Byker Road and I had a lovely meal. What number are you? I wouldn't normally come on here at this time of night but I'm in a bit of a quarry. I still haven't decide who should play tomorrow and I hoped you lot may be able to help me. Al says he's a given, but I don't think he's very good in goal. He's a lot better up front with Derek. Hughie is feeling a lot better but I don't think we should let him stand in the wall for any free kicks any more as his opinion seems a bit swwollen just now. As I said before, Little Kevin Dyer hasn't been doing too well. He looks a bit off color. I think I might ask Dayglo to play although I recieved a very threatening message from Scotland earlier in the week strongly suggesting that I should pick Stuart Glass and somebody called Buff wide on the left. Buff has done an awful lot for Newcastle United over the years, not the least being moving to Aberdeen and I don't want to upset him.
We have a score to settle tomorrow against Bedford. I wasn't very happy when they beat us earlier in the season and I know the lads are up for this one. It's not every season you get to play the bottom team and it isn't going to be easy this year. Bedford won't be a passover and I have a lot of respect for their gardner Roger Taylor. They will be battling all the way, especially in their position just north of London and we well have to bring all our troops into the battle, including the magnificent Salvation Army. It was never like this in Torremolinos or Ipswich and I don't see why it should be like this at Newcastle United, even though we have a long, long way to go.
If any of you have any suggestions (especially you Val) I would be infernally grapeful if you would let me know. Wash me luck - not that we will need it.

-- Anonymous, March 10, 2000

Keep the pep-talks coming Robby. We feel much better knowing you've got your finger on the pulse - wait a minute. That's some sort of vegetable isn't it? I didn't know we'd signed Beckham!

Nice one

-- Anonymous, March 10, 2000

Robby's got his finger on the pulse

I'm afraid you have hit the screw on the head there Mr Pilgrim. Ever since I had my medical I have been advised to keep my finger on the pulse just so that I can tell if I am alive or dead. It makes training a bit harder but I am getting used with it.

-- Anonymous, March 11, 2000

Probably the best

What can I say? What can anybody say? What is there to be said? Is life full of questions or are there any answers? Yesterday we had no answers and yet we must find answers to the questions very very soon. Nobody knows that better than me. Bedford are a quality street. Make no mistake about that but they are not in the same class as Manchester United or Chelsea or Arsenal. In fact they aren't even in the same school as Manchester United and we did very very well to win against Bedford. Of course winning the Carlsberg award was a great start to the day for me and I was very very proud to receive it. I'm looking forward to winning many more as I like the taste. Alan missed two very good chances and he's very very disappointed about that and we are for him. He has had another very good game, he played a great leadership game of football and played his part in the goal by keeping well out of the way and letting Hughie score. But he was very very disappointed not to score because he really really wants to be the leading English scorer and fell further behind yesterday. Not that I think winning awards is anything to be proud about and I told him that in no uncertain teams. I thought Sean had a very very good game in goal. He's come a long way from Ireland and it is a very very hard choice to make which kepper to pick. I have the same problem with our strikers. Alan and Donald are also on top of their form and I couldn't leave one of them out so I think I might have to do the same with Sean and Harpic next week. I think that playing them both against Everton could give us a big advantage although I will have to leave somebody out in the cold not that I mind doing that as we have proved a number of times at Kingston Park. I was sorry to have to leave Little Kevin Dyer out in the cold yesterday so I took him to one side and put my arm around him just like my Grandad used to do. I said "Son, you're not playing" and he seemed to take it pretty well. Well at least as well as Alan did when he missed his chance. I can't tell you who cried the most but that's what I like: good strong competition between my players. We told everybody Kevin had flu but it was really only a cold. Sunny Boy Gavaskar had a tear in he's eye too but I think that's because I won't let him play cricket at the Riverside. Dayglo is coming along nicely and looks very smart in his new club suit. I think I might give him a game in a few weeks. You see that's what it is like playing for Newcastle United. At Newcastle United we win some and we lose some. Sometimes we draw and on special occasions I let them paint. Donald painted the ceiling last week because I didn't think Hughie was up to it. We're not out of the tunnel yet but I can see light at the end of the wood. Nobby needs to tell me we still have a long way to go but we're getting there. You mark my words. We'll be round or roundabouts and I'll be drinking more Carlsberg before the end of the seasoning. whan I will be given the "Probably the best manager in the world" award.

-- Anonymous, March 12, 2000