Any book on the legend Sir Bobby Robson on his wonderful life and career should appeal to any football fan and though this book focuses on his latter years in football and more specifically, his final job within the game at Newcastle United, this will not detract you from reading this book as it gives you a fantastic insight into the man that was so revered here in the UK and was arguably one of the last bastion's of an era that many today still long for amidst the modern football world that is so much about business and money. Don't get me wrong, if you are a Newcastle United supporter, this book is going to pull at your heartstrings as they remember the period that brought yet another near miss, similar to the Keegan era in the 1990's without probably the razzmatazz that came with that era. It details the period of Robson's tenure at St James Park and looks at the fascinating relationships that he with the many players that came to play under him, those behind the scenes in the Magpies Boardroom and his relationship with the fans, who up until nearly the very end backed the local born, former England Manager. Some of these relationships stand out and what make the book such an interesting read. The relationship with Craig Bellamy in particular is a big focus throughout the book and though there isn't any contributions directly from the enigmatic Welsh forward, there are anecdotes from his own autobiography where he talks about his relationship with Sir Bobby Robson. It's no secret that Bellamy is a divisive character and is by no means a shrinking violet and is one of those modern footballers that you can honestly say you love if he is on your team, but cannot stand if he is up against you. 

The way this story is told by the author, for me drops hints about the player power that has become a facet of the game in the modern era and with Robson, a storied member of the old guard, there are clearly issues that he faced as the shift of control going from Managers to Players is very evident in how Bellamy had such an impact in this story.  Where this is first-hand accounts of Robson's tenure at the Magpies, it comes in some brilliant sources, in particular his right-hand man John Carver who plays a big role in his perception from Robson's point of view and how he tried to play his own role that sits between the players and the management. Both his own view of the relationship with Bellamy from Robson and his own experiences of him, hint at the 'Behind the Scenes' part of football that we don't see of managing people in an era that is unlike any before it. The book tells you a lot about Sir Bobby as a person and how he thought the game should be played. His particular penchant for buying British comes across and when you look at who he bought into the club, there is little doubt that many of the best young talent that England produced around this time, would have been influenced by the legendary boss. Having the likes of Keiron Dyer, Jermaine Jenas, Jonathan Woodgate and many others at Newcastle, show how he tried to build a squad that could legitimately compete with the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal yet just by those names above, you could arguably say that they were just shy of having the class to get over the line.

There is no doubt that the book brilliantly documents Robson's affinity with the North-East and how it was clearly a dream come true to manage his boyhood team. That being said, and with what has gone on since up at Newcastle (albeit with different owners) it is safe to say that managing Newcastle and the interference that comes with it is something you either grin and bear up there, or you ultimatley don't take the job on. There is sympathy towards Freddy Shepherd to a degree in that he was controlled by the father and son duo of Sir John and Douglas Hall and It's very easy to forget just how good a side that Newcastle were during this era and its easy to forget that they got so far in the Champions League and the UEFA Cup competitions, a feat that is often forgotten. Mixing it up and beating many of the great European names with a side made up of predominantly British players mixed in with the class of foreign buys like Laurent Robert and Hugo Viana, show you the job that Robson did and in a short space of time. When reviewing this book, its one that has reminded me so much of little things that you forget about Newcastle United during this period. The above mentioned European nights and how far they got, going toe-to-toe with Manchester United for the signature of Wayne Rooney and pilfering the heartbeat of a Leeds United team and stripping them of their best British assets, and experiencing their own successes. 

Book's documenting a certain period in a Football Club are no doubt more appealing to fans of that team and whilst this book will no doubt be a massive draw for Newcastle United fans, the way this story is told, will ensure that any football fan will enjoy an insight into a remarkable man, who arguably should have been enjoying retirement, but changed the fortunes of his boyhood club and got them close to their optimum, despite facing the challenges of a modern football world that was very much different to what he had known before. There are some very brilliant contributions to the book from the likes of John Carver, Charlie Woods, Warren Barton and Steven Caldwell who give a brilliant insight into what went on behind the scenes at the club in this era and how Robson was fighting to manage the relationships and characters within the club, whilst delivering the heady times and success of one of Newcastle United's most enjoyable era's.

If I had to give some constructive criticism to the book, it probably lacks the direct contributions from the likes of Alan Shearer who will have played such an important role in the club and his own relationship with Craig Bellamy, which is touched upon by others. Its only a minor issue and nothing to take away from the book at all and you'll no doubt enjoy this book at all levels, more so as a fan of the Black and White, but almost equally learning about the great man himself, Sir Bobby Robson. Get yourself a copy of Harry de Cosemo's book 'Black and White Knight' and let us know your thoughts on the book.