WITH all of the talk and speculation and comings and goings, from administrators to billionaires, the biggest and saddest football news of all was the passing of Sir Bobby Robson.

Last week I was a guest at the Emirates stadium where Arsenal were involved in a tournament with Glasgow Rangers, Paris St Germian and Athletico Madrid.

I was welcomed in the boardroom by chairman Peter Hill-Wood and was able to meet up with their ex-manager Terry Neil, Gerard Houllier and England boss Fabio Capello.

The only topic was Sir Bobby and our memories.

I was probably as close to him as I was to Brian Clough.

He, Bobby and myself came from the same area and started our management careers about the same time. We all cut our teeth at places like Hartlepool, Fulham, Doncaster and Grimsby and then were appointed at Forest, Ipswich and Southampton, so called unfashionable clubs.

The achievements and the loyalty on both sides are well documented. They enabled us to manage between 12 and 18 years and gave stability and continuity.

Bobby was a fierce competitor and one of my memories was when his Ipswich team were 3-0 up at The Dell at half time. We eventually clawed it back in the second half to 3-3 and Terry Butcher was sent off for a tackle on Mick Channon.

Bobby was so upset, not only at not winning but by the fact that the referee, in his opinion, was wrong. After shaking my hand he stormed down the touchline and went straight into the press room.

He was the first in there as the press were putting over their reports and imagine their surprise when they entered the room to find Bobby ready to give forth. However, as ever, after simmering down, he joined me for the traditional after-match drink.

The best of friends, the toughest of rivals, and a wonderful character loved by everyone, whether they met him in football circles or not.

He had time for anyone who stopped him in the street to talk about the game even though he was welcomed in the loftiest of circles.

He will be sorely missed by everyone but forever remembered at his old club, Ipswich, not only through the statue, which has been there for years. I believe they will now name a stand after him, and rightly so.

Bobby was a great man and invited me to his game at St James’ Park the week before he died. Unfortunately, I was tied up in Leicester with the Special Olympic Games but I am pleased in some ways I didn’t see him confined to that wheelchair.

I would rather remember him as the top class manager he was.

I rang him last New Year’s Day and, after our conversation, I challenged him to ring me next New Year’s Day.

We both knew it would be a miracle if he did. As I said to his wife, Elsie, this week, he died living.