Sir Bobby has been treated for cancer four times

The former Newcastle and England manager, who was first diagnosed with the disease in 1991, plans to raise �500,000 for his new charity.

Sir Bobby who lives in County Durham, celebrates his 75th birthday next week.

The Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trial And Research Centre will be at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital - already a centre of excellence in cancer treatment.

Sir Bobby said: "I am going to try and raise a lot of money, �500,000, for a cancer research centre, which is very much needed in the North East.

'I owe them'

"I know the people who are going to run it and they are short of money.

"So I am going to help raise this money and give my name to this charity.

"I must say that the people here in the North East have saved my life, have kept me going and have done a wonderful job on me and I owe them something back.

"There is still some fight in me yet."

Last year doctors discovered Mr Robson had small cancerous nodules in his lungs.

He has battled the disease on and off for the last 15 years, having undergone cancer surgery four times.