A FOOTBALL LEGEND

I could see The Albion floodlights from my top bedroom window, a lovely sight. And just around the corner Albion owned a house which was used to accommodate some of the players. Bryan Robson lived there at one time. When I first saw Bryan play I was with my mate, Mark Gascoigne (Bamber), who ended up as assistant kitman at The Albion. We went to watch the intermediate league game, which was the league in those days for the youth players.

Bamber and I were such Albion fans. 

We heard that Aston Villa had two kids, Bryan and Alan Little, and we were looking at the youth players to see who might have a good future. The league games were held at The Albion training ground at Spring Lane, aptly named, not for a nice spring day, but for the legacy of the Black Country. A lot of the factories made springs there.

We watched the game, during which I noticed this kid about fifteen years of age. I said to Bamber, “I don’t know who that kid is, but one day he’ll play for England.”

That kid was Bryan Robson. He later became an Albion legend then moved to Manchester United and subsequently captain of England. Later, after Bryan left the house in Handsworth Wood, another Albion legend moved to that house—Cyril Regis. I got to know the big man a little, too.

Paul "Gibbo" Gibbons

In a few short weeks, 

I had filled my mind 

with stories of football heroes, 

both players and coaches, 

and Gibbo introduced me 

to the great
soccer coach, Thomas Rongen.

I got his autograph on a photograph in a newspaper article, enjoyed some chatting time with Thomas and his darling wife, Gail, while we sat perched high in an executive box at Raymond James Stadium watching the USA play El Salvador. We won 1-0. My first professional soccer game ever, an international game, at that!

I’ve read portions of life stories of some of the greats, including Bryan Robson, Gibbo’s all-time favorite footballer. He handed me Robbo’s book published in 2006, entitled ROBBO, My Autobiography, and I got on football overload just trying to keep up.

 ROBBO 

What a guy, or as Gibbo would say, 

“A proper bloke!” 

He won my heart. 

He has an amazing vita 

and nostalgic ties to West Bromwich Albion, 

a story all its own.
You'll get to read about it in GIBBO'S STORY!

Jane Bennett Gaddy

Posted 29th March 2011 by Jane B. Gaddy