Editing Bryan Robson (section)

===Manchester United===
[[File:Bryan Robson at the cliff -march 92.JPG|thumb|Robson with Manchester United in 1992]]
{{Quote box|width=250px|align=right|quote="Money wasn't my main motivation. I simply wanted to be a winner."|source=Bryan Robson explains his reasons for joining United<ref name="Robbo pp45-46"/>}}
Robson moved to United for a [[Progression of British football transfer fee record|British record transfer fee]] of £1.5&nbsp;million on 1 October 1981 and signed the contract on the [[Old Trafford (football ground)|Old Trafford]] pitch two days later before a game against [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]]. The record fee set by Robson was not broken for six years, when Liverpool paid £1.9&nbsp;million for Newcastle striker [[Peter Beardsley]] in the summer of 1987. Robson made his United debut on 7 October 1981 in a 1–0 defeat away at [[Tottenham Hotspur F.C.|Tottenham Hotspur]] in the [[Football League Cup|League Cup]].<ref>Robson (2007), p. 54.</ref> His league debut for his new club came three days later, in a goalless draw against [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]] at [[Maine Road]]. This was his first appearance in the Manchester United number 7 shirt, which he wore for most of his appearances with United.<ref name="Robbo p55">Robson (2007), p. 55.</ref> Robson scored his first goal for United on 7 November 1981 in a 5–1 win over [[Sunderland A.F.C.|Sunderland]] at [[Roker Park]].<ref name="Robbo p55"/> He ended his first season at United with 32 games and five goals for a United side who finished third in the league.

Robson tore his ankle ligaments during the 1983 League Cup semi-final victory over [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]], meaning that he missed the [[1983 Football League Cup Final|final]], which United lost to Liverpool.<ref>Robson (2007), p. 64.</ref> He regained his fitness in time for the [[FA Cup]] semi-final, again against Arsenal, and scored in a 2–1 win.<ref>Robson (2007), p. 65.</ref> The [[1983 FA Cup final|final]] against [[Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.|Brighton]] ended in a 2–2 draw. Robson scored twice in the replay, but declined the chance to become the first player in 30 years to score an FA Cup final hat-trick, instead allowing regular penalty taker [[Arnold Muhren]] to convert a spot-kick to seal a 4–0 victory and enable Robson to lift his first trophy as United captain. Although this was United's fifth FA Cup triumph, Robson was only the second English captain to lift the trophy for United, and their first since [[Charlie Roberts]] in [[1909 FA Cup final|the 1909 final]]; as United had been captained by an [[Ireland|Irishman]] in their [[1948 FA Cup final|1948]] and [[1963 FA Cup final|1963]] triumphs and a [[Scotland|Scotsman]] in [[1977 FA Cup final|1977]].<ref>Robson (2007), p. 67.</ref>

The following season, Robson helped the club enjoy a memorable run in the [[UEFA Cup Winners' Cup|European Cup Winners' Cup]] – the club's best European run for 15 years. Robson scored twice in the 3–0 quarter-final second leg victory over [[FC Barcelona|Barcelona]] at Old Trafford, overturning a 2–0 first leg deficit to progress 3–2 on aggregate.<ref>Robson (2007), pp. 75.</ref> He missed both legs of the semi-final defeat by [[Juventus FC|Juventus]] due to a hamstring injury, but while in [[Turin]] for the second leg was given permission by United to speak to Juve regarding a proposed transfer. The move never took place as neither Juventus nor any other club were prepared to meet United's £3&nbsp;million asking price. Robson's injury also meant that he missed several crucial late season games as United's title challenge slipped away and they finished fourth, with Liverpool becoming champions for the third successive season and 15th time overall.<ref name="Robbo pp76-79">Robson (2007), pp. 76–79.</ref> Robson instead extended his contract with United in 1984, signing a seven-year deal worth around £1&nbsp;million which would keep him there until at least 1991.<ref>Robson (2007), pp. 83.</ref> United emerged as title challengers again the following season, although the title was eventually won by [[Everton F.C.|Everton]]. He captained the club to another [[1985 FA Cup final|FA Cup]] triumph, this time over Everton, where a [[Norman Whiteside]] goal in extra time denied their opponents the chance of a unique treble, as they had already won the league title and the European Cup Winners' Cup.

Robson and United began the following season in fine form with ten successive victories which suggested the championship could be on its way back to Old Trafford for the first time since 1967. But their form slipped after Christmas and they finished the season trophyless in fourth place 12 points behind champions Liverpool, 10 points behind runners-up Everton and eight points behind third-placed [[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]]. Injuries, notably a dislocated shoulder suffering in February 1986, restricted Robson to just 21 out of 42 league appearances for United in [[1985–86 in English football|1985–86]], though he did manage seven goals.

United started the following season badly and [[Ron Atkinson]] was sacked as manager in November 1986 and replaced by [[Alex Ferguson]]. The new manager had almost completely overhauled the squad within three years, but Robson remained firmly part of his plans. United finished second in the league in 1988, nine points behind champions Liverpool, but a frustrating campaign in [[1988–89 in English football|1988–89]] saw them finish 11th. Robson remained largely injury free during these seasons.

In 1990, Robson and United finally got their hands on another major trophy after five years of trying. After an injury-hit campaign where United had struggled in the league, Robson scored United's first goal in the [[1990 FA Cup final|FA Cup final]] against [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]] in the first match which ended in a 3–3 draw. United won the replay 1–0 and Robson thus became the first United captain to lift the cup three times. Robson had faced his familiar fight against injury once again in that [[1989–90 in English football|1989–90 season]], restricted to 20 appearances out of 38 in the league, as United finished 13th – their lowest finish since relegation in 1974.<ref>Robson (2007), p. 134.</ref> Robson's testimonial match took place on 20 November 1990 and saw United lose 3–1 to Celtic at Old Trafford.<ref>Robson (2007), p. 138.</ref> During the [[1990–91 in English football|1990–91 season]], he was restricted to 17 league appearances due to an injury suffered at the [[1990 FIFA World Cup]], and didn't make a first team appearance until just before Christmas. During his absence, United had been captained by fellow midfielder [[Neil Webb]], but Robson regained the captain's armband on his return.

Robson was fit for the [[1991 European Cup Winners' Cup final|European Cup Winners Cup final]] in which United beat [[F.C. Barcelona|Barcelona]] 2–1 in [[Rotterdam]], with both goals coming from [[Mark Hughes]].

Robson was still a regular choice for United during the [[1991–92 in English football|1991–92 season]] despite competition from much younger players including Webb, [[Paul Ince]] and [[Andrei Kanchelskis]]. During that season, he made his 90th and final appearance for the England team, who by this stage were being managed by [[Graham Taylor]]. But the season ended in disappointment for Robson as United were overhauled in the First Division championship race by [[Leeds United F.C.|Leeds United]]. He missed their League Cup final victory over [[Nottingham Forest F.C.|Nottingham Forest]] through injury and his first-team chances were starting to look increasingly numbered as he faced competition from other players within the United squad and the press reported that Ferguson was hoping to sign a new, younger midfielder, although no such addition took place in 1992.

Robson still captained the club in most of his first-team appearances, but [[Steve Bruce]] was captaining the side when Robson was absent. Robson made just 14 league appearances during the [[1992–93 in English football|1992–93 season]], which was the first season of the new Premier League. The club's regular central midfielders for this season were Ince (who had been at United since 1989) and [[Brian McClair]] (who was shifted from the attacking positions following the late November arrival of [[Eric Cantona]]), while his other favoured position on the right side of midfield was either occupied by [[Mike Phelan]] or the younger, wider-lying Kanchelskis and [[Lee Sharpe]]. With the introduction of squad numbers for the 1993–94 Premier League, Robson was issued with the number 12 shirt, while the number 7 shirt that he had worn in virtually every game of his career went to Cantona instead.

Robson scored on the final day of the season against [[Wimbledon F.C.|Wimbledon]] – it was his only goal of that campaign. By that point, United were Premier League champions and Robson finally won the league championship medal that he had been trying to gain since his days at West Bromwich Albion some 15 years earlier. It was not just injuries that were restricting the 36-year-old Robson's first-team chances. Cantona had been signed during the [[1992–93 in English football|1992–93 season]] and played up front with Hughes, while Hughes' former strike-partner McClair had been converted into a midfielder. This counted against Robson and the biggest blow came in the summer of 1993 when United signed Forest's [[Roy Keane]], but even this did not quite signal the end for him at Manchester United.

Robson was still able to make enough appearances for another Premier League champions medal in the [[1993–94 in English football|1993–94 season]] (15 games, 10 of them as a substitute), and scored one of their four goals in the FA Cup semi-final replay victory over [[Oldham Athletic A.F.C.|Oldham]] at [[Maine Road]], which would turn out to be his final goal for the club.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aboutmanutd.com/man-u-players/bryan-robson.html |title=About Man Utd &#124; Bryan Robson, Manchester United player |access-date=30 December 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120104045314/http://www.aboutmanutd.com/man-u-players/bryan-robson.html |archive-date=4 January 2012}}</ref> He had found the net on the opening day of the season in a 2–0 win at [[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]]. At the age of 36, he finally appeared in Europe's top club tournament, the [[UEFA Champions League|Champions League]], with United reaching the second round. Robson scored a late equaliser in the second round first leg clash with [[Galatasaray S.K. (football)|Galatasaray]], which ended in a 3–3 draw at Old Trafford.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.manchester-united-fans-site.com/manchester-united-results-1993-1994.html |title=Manchester United Results 1993-1994, Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, Europea |access-date=11 May 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609095330/http://www.manchester-united-fans-site.com/manchester-united-results-1993-1994.html |archive-date=9 June 2011}}</ref>

Robson was dropped from the squad for the [[1994 FA Cup final|FA Cup final]], a decision which manager Ferguson later admitted was one of the hardest of his career, opting to select the more flexible Sharpe and McClair as the outfield substitutes. His final appearance in a United shirt came on the last day of the league season, 8 May 1994, when United drew 0–0 at home with [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]]. He had played 461 times for them in all competitions, scoring 99 goals, and was widely regarded as one of their greatest ever players.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid=%7B847FFC5F-947A-470D-A13B-E757FD63C2A8%7D&bioid=92137|title=Official Manchester United Website}}</ref>