Museum to archive Robson tributes

Thousands of tributes were left at St James' Park

Written tributes to the late Sir Bobby Robson are to be stored in a Newcastle museum as historical documents.

The County Durham-born former Newcastle and England boss died on 31 July aged 76 after a long battle with cancer.

Thousands of floral and other tributes were made at Newcastle United's St James' Park ground after his death.

Now Newcastle's Discovery Museum has opened a "memory book" which will be added to its archives as a record of an important moment in the city's history.

Ged Bell, chairman of Tyne and Wear Archives & Museums - the organisation which manages the Discovery Museum, said: "Discovery Museum is a place to find out about the history of Tyneside and its people and it is therefore fitting that the extraordinary affection local people feel for Sir Bobby Robson is recorded and added to the displays at the museum.

"A memory book has now been introduced at the museum to enable visitors to record their thoughts, feelings and memories of Sir Bobby.

"These memories will then be added to the museum's collections to record them as an important moment in the region's history."

Sir Bobby was England manager from 1982 to 1990, when he led the team to the World Cup semi-finals.

During a lengthy career in club management either side of his time as England boss he had spells at Fulham, Ipswich, PSV Eindhoven, Sporting Lisbon, Porto, Barcelona and Newcastle.