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Sir Bobby Robson claimed Man Utd hero would be ‘one of the greatest players the world had seen’

Sir Bobby Robson claimed Man Utd hero would be ‘one of the greatest players the world had seen’. A man who spent over five decades involved in football, Bobby Robson was one of the most influential managers in British footballing history. As a player, Robson spent the majority of his career with Fulham and West Bromwich Albion. By the time of his 1968 retirement, Robson had already become involved in management.

After brief stints in charge of two former clubs, Vancouver Royal Canadians and Fulham, Robson was appointed manager of Ipswich Town in 1969, where he would spend the next 13 years. In that time, Robson turned the Tractor Boys into a top six side, relying heavily on players developed in their youth academy. Ipswich won an FA Cup and UEFA Cup under Robson’s guidance.

Robson departed Portman Road in 1982, becoming manager of the England national team and guiding the Three Lions through numerous tournaments. He was in charge when Diego Maradona’s Hand Of God goal eliminated England from the 1986 World Cup, four years before he became just the second England manager to reach a World Cup semi-final.

In 1990, after not renewing his contract, Robson embarked on a tour of Europe, managing PSV Eindhoven, Sporting Lisbon, Porto and Barcelona across the next decade. After a second stint with PSV ended in 1999, Robson returned to England, taking the helm at the club he supported, Newcastle United.

Across five years at St James’ Park, Robson transformed Newcastle from a side that were battling relegation in the Premier League to one that qualified for the Champions League, guiding the Magpies into Europe before departing in 2004, which marked the end of Robson’s incredible managerial career.

Prior to his death in 2009, Robson shared a number of opinions on a number of players, such as when, as per the Manchester Evening News, he revealed who he felt would have become one of the world’s best players in different circumstances.

‘The Finest Young Player’

Throughout his career, Robson worked with a plethora of talented players, ranging from the number of youth academy graduates he managed at Ipswich to stars such as Ronaldo, Luis Figo and Hristo Stoichkov in Catalonia. Robson saw, first-hand, what was required in a young player for them to develop into a world beater.

Such tendencies Robson evidently saw in Duncan Edwards, a star of the Busby Babes Manchester United team. Speaking about Edwards, who could play in a number of positions, Robson once said:

“His size surprised me. He was a colossus, in fact, very strong and powerful. He tackled beautifully and had perfect timing. I considered him to be the finest young player in England at that time. Surely he would have gone on to be one of the greatest players the world had ever seen.”

Edwards debuted for the Red Devils in 1953 at just 16 years old, quickly establishing himself as a mainstay in the first team. Despite his youth, Edwards regularly put in amazing displays for Man United, showcasing his abilities both in the tackle and on the attack. When Edwards was 18, he earned his first call-up to the England national team and in 1957, finished third in that year’s Ballon d’Or race.

Duncan Edwards Career Stats

Playing Years

1953-1958

Appearances

175

Goals

21

Assists

N/A

Honours Won

2x Football League First Division

Edwards’ promising career came to a tragic end in 1958, when the player lost his life in the Munich Air Disaster. By that point in time, Edwards had made well over 100 appearances for Man United, despite being just 21 years old when he died. Edwards remains regarded as one of football’s best-ever English players.

Edwards is still a fondly-remembered figure at Old Trafford, with many of his peers or others involved in football, such as Robson, having commented on the player Edwards was and would have become.

(All stats are from either Transfermarkt or the official Manchester United website and are correct as of 07/08/2025)

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