Editing Bobby Robson (section)

=== Ipswich Town ===
[[File:Aankomst Ipswich Town op Schiphol Ipswichtrainer Bobby Robson, Bestanddeelnr 929-8929.jpg|thumb|275px|Robson traveling with Ipswich Town, 1978]]
Robson moved on to Ipswich Town in 1969 and it was there that he established his reputation as a successful manager, supported by the club chairman [[John Cobbold (businessman)|John Cobbold]] and then later by his brother [[Patrick Cobbold]]. He was offered the vacant job at the Suffolk club after a chance encounter with Town director Murray Sangster while scouting at [[Portman Road]] for [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]] manager [[Dave Sexton]].<ref>{{cite book
 | last = Robson
 | title = Farewell but Not Goodbye
 | pages = [https://archive.org/details/farewellbutnotgo0000robs/page/72 72]
 | chapter = The Last Corinthians
 | year = 2005
 | publisher = Hodder & Stoughton
 | isbn = 0-340-84064-1
 | chapter-url = https://archive.org/details/farewellbutnotgo0000robs/page/72
 }}</ref> After four mediocre seasons, Robson led Ipswich to fourth place in the First Division and success in the [[Texaco Cup]] in the [[1972–73 in English football|1972–73]] season.<ref name=prideofanglia>{{cite web |url=http://www.tmwmtt.com/sql/managers/profile.phtml?managerid=9 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216093746/http://www.tmwmtt.com/sql/managers/profile.phtml?managerid=9 |archive-date=16 December 2008 |title=Bobby Robson |work=Pride of Anglia |access-date=17 November 2013}}</ref> In the following nine seasons, Ipswich finished lower than sixth place in the First Division only once, in the [[1977–78 in English football|1977–78]] season. However, that season was a success with a 1–0 victory over Arsenal in the [[1978 FA Cup Final|FA Cup final]].<ref>{{cite news
 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/1321993.stm
 | title = 1978 – Osbourne's year
 | date = 10 May 2001
 | access-date =16 May 2007
 |work=BBC Sport}}</ref> His reign at Ipswich lasted 13 years, during which time the club twice finished as League runners-up, and made regular appearances in European competitions, winning the [[UEFA Europa League|UEFA Cup]] in [[1980–81 UEFA Cup|1981]] with a 5–4 [[Two-legged match|aggregate]] victory over Dutch side [[AZ Alkmaar|AZ 67 Alkmaar]].<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/season=1980/overview/index.html
 |title=Ipswich thankful for Thijssen
 |date=2 January 2006
 |access-date=17 November 2013
 |publisher=UEFA
 |url-status=dead
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131006103635/http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/season%3D1980/overview/index.html
 |archive-date= 6 October 2013}}</ref> About that team, Robson said: "We played with two strikers, no wingers, Eric Gates sitting off the front two, two semi-wide midfield players in Arnold Muhren and Frans Thijssen and Johnny Wark sitting in the holding role".<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/bobby-robson-one-one | title=Bobby Robson: One-on-One | date= 31 January 2003  | access-date = 20 March 2019 | publisher = Four four two}}</ref> During his 13-year tenure, he brought in only 14 players from other clubs, most notably [[Allan Hunter (footballer)|Allan Hunter]], [[Bryan Hamilton]] and [[Paul Mariner]], relying instead on players developed through Ipswich's youth programmes,<ref name=tenfacts>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/tyne/sport/2005/02/28/bobby_facts.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050413054251/http://www.bbc.co.uk/tyne/sport/2005/02/28/bobby_facts.shtml |archive-date=13 April 2005 |title=Sir Bobby : Ten Facts |publisher= BBC Tyne|access-date=17 November 2013}}</ref> including [[Terry Butcher]], [[George Burley]], [[John Wark]], [[Mick Mills]], [[Colin Viljoen]], [[Alan Brazil]], [[Trevor Whymark]], [[Brian Talbot]], [[Kevin Beattie]] and [[Eric Gates]], who all went on to play international football. His imports included Dutch players [[Frans Thijssen]] and [[Arnold Mühren]].<ref name="ODNB"/> Robson "was not a tactical genius" but he "showed a talent for developing new players, with his good interpersonal skills, caring attitude, hard work and enthusiasm helping them to achieve their best".<ref name="ODNB"/>

In 2002, in recognition of his achievements with the club, a life-size statue of Robson was unveiled opposite the Cobbold Stand of Ipswich Town's ground, Portman Road.<ref>{{cite news
 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2130373.stm
 | title = Sir Bobby Robson statue unveiled
 | date = 16 July 2002
 | access-date =14 May 2007
 |work=BBC Sport}}</ref> On 7 July 2006, Robson was named as honorary president of Ipswich Town Football Club, the first since Lady Blanche Cobbold who had died in 1987.<ref name="president">
{{cite news
 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/i/ipswich_town/5156006.stm
 | title = Ipswich president role for Robson
 |work=BBC Sport
 | date = 6 July 2007
 | access-date =13 May 2007}}</ref>