MORE than a few ageing United fans will not be too upset if the Reds make a mess of Saturday's home game with West Bromwich Albion.
And it won't be the prospect of an interesting Euro away trip to somewhere such as Baku or Bydgoszcz in August - the booby prize for finishing third in the league - which will inspire a secret yearning for a West Brom win.
It will all be down to a simple dose of nostalgia.
United fans are known for the warm welcomes they give to returning heroes, and when Bryan Robson steps out at Old Trafford as manager of the Baggies, the roof should be raised.
His return always brings the memories flooding back for those supporters who remember a United team without a silver lining.
And what great memories they are.
Robbo being carried shoulder-high from the field after the Reds had improbably beaten Barcelona - Maradona, Bernd Schuster and all - 3-0 in the 1984 Cup Winners' Cup to overturn a 2-0 first leg deficit.
Robbo hurling himself at the ball at the Stretford End and dislocating his shoulder on the hoardings.
Robbo winning 30-70 tackles, sometimes with his unique style of using the opponent's momentum against him, sometimes through sheer bloody-minded courage.
Robbo as Captain Marvel, wearing that lop-sided grin as he whipped United into a thrilling FA Cup semi-final replay win over Liverpool at Maine Road in 1985, scoring a goal of supreme quality.
Fans of other teams often commented that Robson was over-rated, basing their judgments on sketchy highlights of United on "Match of the Day".
Those of us who watched him week in, week out, knew better. In the same way that Roy Keane has thrashed and chivvied United into shape for the last decade, Robbo was the driving force behind the Reds.
One or two more with his attitude and ability, and United would not have been Liverpool's bridesmaids throughout the 1980s.
Palpable
When the papers were full of talk that Robbo was being hunted by Juventus, in the days when the lira had more pulling power than the old English First Division, the horror that swept through much of Manchester was palpable.
There were petitions on evey street corner surrounding Old Trafford - I know, because I signed up several dozen times!
When he left United in 1994, having helped the Reds end their 25-year league title hoodoo and then played a bit-part in the Double, he went to Middlesbrough as manager with warm good wishes.
Robbo showed the same driven qualities as a player-manager as he had as captain of United and England, and in his first season at Ayresome Park - Middlesbrough's last campaign at their old ground - he took them into the Premiership.
Signing players such as Fabrizio Ravanelli, Juninho and Nick Barmby set Teesside alight, and in 1997 Robbo took Boro to their first major cup finals, the Coca Cola and then the FA Cup in quick succession.
It turned sour for him in 2000 when, with Boro struggling, chairman Steve Gibson drafted in Terry Venables as head coach, apparently with a final say on team selection.
Boro avoided the drop, but Robbo's managerial reputation was damaged, and he cut a lonely figure towards the end of that season.
United fans were still rooting for their erstwhile hero when he took up the poisoned chalice of trying to arrest Bradford City's rapid fall from Premiership grace in 2003, without success.
So the sight of Robbo back in management at West Brom this season gladdened many a Red heart.
It was never going to be easy, with the Baggies firm favourites to boing-boing straight back into the Football League.
After a shaky start, Robbo has instilled some of his old fighting spirit, and in recent weeks they have pulled off important wins over Everton, Charlton and Birmingham to give themselves a chance. But the other strugglers have also got their acts together.
As fate would have it, Robbo comes to Old Trafford this weekend needing a result and, perhaps more importantly, requiring rivals Crystal Palace and Southampton to draw.
United will be all out to win the game, as it should be. But if United do get the right result, and boost their own chances of finishing second, all true Reds will spare a thought for a real Old Trafford legend.
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Yeah, it would not be the end of the world as the chances of the Arse handing the points over is slight, and particuarly if ex Reds players were to star on their return to O.T. Then we go to St. Mary's and turn over the Saints again. Meanwhile everyone down here is certain that Pompey are planning to loose to WBA in order to ensure that the Saints are relegated!
Beg to differ i never want united to loose, i loved robson when he was at o.t. and is in my all time 11 fav players.But thats it a great rousing welcome and a heavy defeat to try to close the goal diff on arsenal, we still have second place tp play for end of story; perhaps this lack of desire from the team is starting to be mirrord in the fans. Thanks for the memories brian but i want the 3 points and as many goals as possible its difficult to switch form on and off!
United have an history of ex players turning out to be very poor managers and Bryan Robson is no exception.At Boro Venables came in to his rescue,he took Bradford City into despair and sheer failure,he took them into the third tier of football.Bobby Charlton was an absolute pathetic failure at Preston as was Nobby Styles,Steve Bruce is probably their best export but recently I read some Brummie fans wanting him out.However the biggest loser and most useless manager ever to be a manager was Wilf McGuiness> BLESS HIM!
I am not sure that there is a special case for our ex-players making bad managers. In general there are very few managerial posts and a hell of a lot of ex-players wanting to be coaches. Given the number of foreign managers in the Premiership I think we are doing well to have three, [including Sparky], currently managing there. Regarding turning form on and off, yes I do take the point, but sentimentally.........
a certain united player currently looking for a pay rise wants to take a long hard look at this man.
he could have left us to go to italy in the mid 80's but stayed loyal to the red cause & at times took on the opposition single handed.
BRYAN ROBSON - A TRUE UNITED LEGEND.
Robbo was even better than Keane and will be given a great reception by the crowd. But no United side should ever go out with any other intention than winning and winning well. I'll be sorry to see WBA relegated but their fate is determined by the results over the season. Just as the best team wins the premiership (bloody Chelski) the worst three are relegated. But if SAF continues to tinker, brings RVN in for Smith or even Rooney, we get another feeble performance from Giggs, we have Carroll in goal then its not outside the bounds of possibility that Albion could do a Norwich and beat us on merit.
Your comments on Robbo are spot on, watched a thin skinny lad with one foot develope into the best midfielder in the country before being heart broken when he left for Man U. I hope you don't mind if you give a little back to WBA like 3 points, they mean more to us than you. Anyway hope its a good game.
Sorry Richardson won't be playing, he is developing fast with us and given a chance could be a great player. Perphaps Alex will let him play, you would be impressed.
I was at the Baggies v Arsenal game on Monday and if Robbo follows the same plan against us, it should be a comfortable three points and goodbye PL for the Albion. Against Arsenal, Robson played Campbell as a lone striker and packed the midfield and all this in a game they really had to win - stop me if this is starting to sound familiar. Arsenal (aside from Vieira, who ran the game) were not at their best, but the Baggies failed to seriously trouble Lehmann until they were already a goal behind. Kieran Richardson, normally a winger, played in central midfield, where he was far too lightweight and gave the ball away with monotonous regularity, whilst the talented Gera was marginalised out on the left wing. Campbell got injured and virtually walked off before Robbo subbed him and brought on Earnshaw with all of five minutes left. Now let's see - negative formation in a game they had to win, players played out of position, the crowd frustrated and angry with the tactics, subs introduced too late to make any real contribution..... Wonder who Robbo was talking to on the morning of the match?
Robbo to me is one of the greatest
United players ever.His courage,strength and skill,professionalism , charisma and great leadership are indelibly etched in my mind.
Certain players who are out to get something out of the club should compare themselves with Robbo and if they have any humility at least blush on doing so.
remember anxious weeks thinking robbo was going to Milan like Jordan and Wilkins before him. But after a lively campaign by the fans and the Stretty left him in no doubt we wanted him to stay, he stayed when he could've earned a lot more in Italy. A definite amongst the all-time United greats and loyalty for good measure. Impressive eh, Rio?
Legend. He drove the team by example, and when he was missing it showed. Rio should look in the mirror and ask himself if he compares to Robbo. Mirror, mirror on the wall, am I as good a player as Robbo was ?
NO CHANCE !!!!
"A thin, skinny lad with one foot..." FLETCH THE NEW ROBBO? Could Fergie be right about the wee Scot? Mind you, Robson had one good foot - that's one more than Fletcher!
When I was a kid Robbo was my hero and I will never forget Barcelona in 83 when he was carried off the pitch in probably the most frantic atmosphere anybody has ever experienced. One of the true United legends right along with Eric, Keano and Schmeichel from recent times and Charlton, Law, Best and Edwards from years gone by.
To anyone who doesn't know better, Robbo at his peak was better than Keano at his peak (more goals, less red cards). As for the Fletch comparison, it would be great if it came true. I honestly feel, though, that he'll be a candidate for player of the year next season. All he needs is another 1 or 2 goals to get the confidence to take games by the scruff of the neck.
Absolutely marvellous.
He was the epitome of the spirit of United, and probably still is the example that a few of the current crop could do with following, or at least they should be made to watch old footage of our battles with Robbo at the fore, with Schmeichel, Brucie, Pallister, Ince and Hughsie rampaging for the Red cause!
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