Has to be YBR with his answer to the "What does this mean for Newcastle United?" question:

The Great Man: "It means we are finally safe from relegation." Priceless.

-- Anonymous, January 13, 2002

Answers

Followed up by a priceless Bobbyism " I told them at half - time that I had nothing to say "

-- Anonymous, January 13, 2002

There was a report in the Grauniad last week likening YBR with words to Les Dawson on the piano. I'll try and dig it out... Les Robson!

-- Anonymous, January 13, 2002

Nice try Morrison but no banana

Michael Walker at St James' Park
Monday January 7, 2002
The Guardian

Bobby Robson's employment of words being similar in effect, if not in intent, to Les Dawson's use of piano keys, there were a lot of knowing chuckles when he talked of this game having been a potential "banana slide".

Robson was in full Dawson mode. Twinkling eyes, happy smiles, ho- ho jokes. So was everyone else in black and white: the importance of not being Sunderland is usually pronounced at Newcastle United but on Saturday it was compulsory.

"We were aware of what happened at Sunderland before kick-off," said Alan Shearer, "and we were determined that wouldn't happen here." It would have been hard not to know the result at the Stadium of Light. They announced it over the Tannoy. Some people cheered.

That lent a merry atmosphere to proceedings and the cancellation of Clinton Morrison's 54th-minute legitimate strike by an errant offside flag - all three officials had an afternoon of sparkling ineptitude - prevented any possibility of a repeat upset.

Morrison's disallowed goal was taken coolly - "What a finish," said Robson. "I'd buy him, ha, ha, ha" - but the Crystal Palace manager Trevor Francis had not seen the television replay so there was no mood of injustice.

An equaliser then and Palace might have believed they could emulate West Brom's achievement. But an inelegant second from Clarence Acuna 14 minutes from time made the game comfortable and United's pressure in the preceding minutes, when they had two goals disallowed, justified the final score. Craig Bellamy was largely responsible and whoever it was that said every mile in winter is two had not met the flyer from Cardiff.

Bellamy has a long-term hometown aim in the FA Cup but Newcastle's immediate attention turned to Saturday's Premiership game with Leeds here. "If we beat them we can go back on top," said Shearer.

To do so may require him to score for the seventh match in a row. His 40th-minute blast from Nolberto Solano's short free-kick was his sixth in six. In his first season at St James' in 1996 he managed seven but they were from seven consecutive Shearer appearances rather than consecutive Newcastle games, so he needs a goal against Leeds to join the exalted company of Willie Wardrope in 1895, Jock Peddie in 1899 and Paul Goddard in 1986.

Les Robson will hope Shearer has one more left in his Wardrope.

Man of the match: Craig Bellamy (Newcastle).


-- Anonymous, January 13, 2002

"I said to them at half time there was nothing to say at half time".

-- Anonymous, January 13, 2002

Dougal , already said that , canna taak aboot Bobby, lol

-- Anonymous, January 13, 2002