Dutch fans back Sir Bobby’s fund

Jun 12 2008 by Paul James, The Journal

FOOTBALL fans at the Dutch club to whom Sir Bobby Robson brought glory have lent their support to his charity bid.

Sir Bobby spent three years as manager of PSV Eindhoven, winning the Dutch league championship twice. Now the club’s supporters are doing their bit to raise money for a man they describe as ‘exceptional’ and a true ‘PSVer’.

They have donated 900 to the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, which is trying to build on its success of raising enough money to kit out a new cancer research centre in Newcastle.

James Kidd, a forklift truck driver from Wallsend, presented the money to Sir Bobby on behalf of all the PSV fans who contributed to the charity.

The 30-year-old holds season tickets at both Newcastle United and PSV Eindhoven and first became interested in the Dutch side when Newcastle played PSV in the Champions League.

He said: “The collection was organised by PSV fan Marc Dubach and many fans in the Netherlands contributed.

“I feel very privileged to be the one lucky enough to give Sir Bobby the money, as I happen to live in Newcastle.

“He’s a legend both here and in Eindhoven and it’s a measure of the man that even as he fights cancer again, he’s still doing something for the benefit of other people.”

It was in 1992, while manager of PSV, that Sir Bobby was first diagnosed with cancer. He is now fighting the disease for a fifth time and, by raising money to help the experts find new treatments, he is battling cancer on both a personal and wider front.

Sir Bobby says: “I’m delighted and extremely grateful for this thoughtful donation and I thank the PSV fans very much.

“I spent 10 years abroad in top management and the three I spent in Eindhoven were among the happiest in my career. Winning two league titles and beating Feyenoord and Ajax gave me some of the biggest thrills of my life. Without doubt, PSV is a class club run by professional and intelligent people and that’s why it will always be an elite club in Dutch football.”

The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation will initially focus on the early detection and treatment of cancer and will also help support clinical trials of promising new treatments to tackle the disease.

Since its launch in March, the foundation has already met its first goal to raise enough money to set up a Cancer Trials Research Centre at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle that will treat patients from across the North East.

All the money now raised will benefit cancer-related projects in the region and will be announced shortly. To make a donation, visit www.sirbobbyrobsonfoundation.co.uk or send a cheque to Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, PO Box 307, Heaton NE7 7QG.

All donors will receive a personalised certificate and a letter of thanks from Sir Bobby.