137-430: Bryan Robson OBE (born 11 January 1957) is an English football manager and former player. He began his career with West Bromwich Albion in 1972, where he amassed over 200 appearances and was club captain, before moving to Manchester United in 1981, where he became the longest-serving captain in the club's history. He won two Premier Leagues , three FA Cups , one Football League Cup , two FA Charity Shields and
274-580: A European Cup Winners' Cup during his time there. Nicknamed "Captain Marvel" , Robson was voted in August 2011 as the greatest ever Manchester United player in a poll of the club's former players as part of a book, 19 , released to celebrate the club's record-breaking 19th league title. Robson represented England on 90 occasions between 1980 and 1991, making him at the time the fifth-most capped England player. His goalscoring tally of 26 placed him eighth on
411-493: A Norman Whiteside goal in extra time denied their opponents the chance of a unique treble, as they had already won the league title and the European Cup Winners' Cup. Robson and United began the following season in fine form with ten successive victories which suggested the championship could be on its way back to Old Trafford for the first time since 1967. But their form slipped after Christmas and they finished
548-414: A 2–1 win. The final against Brighton ended in a 2–2 draw. Robson scored twice in the replay, but declined the chance to become the first player in 30 years to score an FA Cup final hat-trick, instead allowing regular penalty taker Arnold Muhren to convert a spot-kick to seal a 4–0 victory and enable Robson to lift his first trophy as United captain. Although this was United's fifth FA Cup triumph, Robson
685-715: A 4th-place finish in the First Division. Atkinson left to take over at Manchester United in June 1981, and speculation mounted that Robson would either follow him to United or join Bob Paisley 's Liverpool . Albion offered Robson a new contract worth £1,000 per week, but he turned it down and put in a transfer request. His teammate Remi Moses signed for United in September 1981 and Robson followed soon afterwards. "Money wasn't my main motivation. I simply wanted to be
822-619: A 4–0 thrashing of Northern Ireland at Wembley and added a brace in the last warm-up game in Helsinki against Finland . Robson was in the record books for 20 years thanks to a goal scored against France in England's opening game of the World Cup at Estadio San Mamés , home of Athletic Bilbao . It came after just 27 seconds of the match – the third fastest in World Cup finals history until 2002 when Hakan Şükür scored after ten seconds in
959-475: A 5–1 win over Sunderland at Roker Park . He ended his first season at United with 32 games and five goals for a United side who finished third in the league. Robson tore his ankle ligaments during the 1983 League Cup semi-final victory over Arsenal , meaning that he missed the final , which United lost to Liverpool. He regained his fitness in time for the FA Cup semi-final, again against Arsenal, and scored in
1096-515: A United shirt came on the last day of the league season, 8 May 1994, when United drew 0–0 at home with Coventry City . He had played 461 times for them in all competitions, scoring 99 goals, and was widely regarded as one of their greatest ever players. Robson's 13-year spell at Manchester United came to an end after nearly 500 appearances and 100 goals in May 1994 when he accepted the role of player-manager at Middlesbrough . From 1994 to 1996, he combined
1233-404: A broad riband or sash, passing from the right shoulder to the left hip. Knights Commander and male Commanders wear the badge from a ribbon around the neck; male Officers and Members wear the badge from a ribbon on the left chest; female recipients other than Dames Grand Cross (unless in military uniform) normally wear it from a bow on the left shoulder. An oval eight-pointed star is worn, pinned to
1370-568: A centre-half during the tournament, which England won, beating Finland 1–0 in the final. He was selected for the England under-21s for the first time in March 1977, but was withdrawn from the squad by his club West Bromwich Albion, who needed him for a league match against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Albion drew 2–2, with Robson scoring one of the goals. On 6 February 1979, he finally made his England under-21 debut, albeit as an overage player (he
1507-453: A circlet bearing the motto of the Order; the reverse bears George V's Royal and Imperial Cypher. (Prior to 1937 Britannia was shown within the circlet.) The size of the badges varies according to rank: the higher classes have slightly larger badges. The badges of Knights and Dames Grand Cross, Knights and Dames Commander, and Commanders are enamelled, with pale blue crosses, crimson circlets and
SECTION 10
#17327800859891644-466: A citizen of a Commonwealth realm can convert their appointment from honorary to substantive, and they then enjoy all privileges of membership of the order, including use of the title of Sir and Dame for the senior two ranks of the Order. (An example of the latter is Irish broadcaster Terry Wogan , who was appointed an honorary Knight Commander of the Order in 2005, and on successful application for British citizenship, held alongside his Irish citizenship,
1781-472: A fine individual goal against eventual champions the Netherlands , but was unable to prevent them from going out in the first phase of the competition as England lost all three of their group games. Robson continued his international career until 1991, also helping England to reach the 1990 FIFA World Cup . For the second World Cup in succession, his role was limited as he once again suffered an injury in
1918-424: A fixture at late notice due to many players being unfit through illness or injury. However, at least Boro had the consolation of staying alive in the league up to the last day of the season. Boro were already bottom of the league at the turn of 1997, but when the points were deducted they found themselves seven points adrift of safety with the 17th placed team having a game in hand. However, results slowly improved over
2055-482: A friendly with a score of 2–1 away from home. In December 2010, Robson failed to bring Thailand past the Group A of the 2010 AFF Championship after managing only two draws against Laos and Malaysia and losing to Indonesia . He resigned as manager on 8 June 2011, and has since returned to his role as an Official Club Ambassador for Manchester United. Robson has been married to his wife Denise since 2 June 1979. Denise
2192-443: A gold central medallion. Officers' badges are plain silver-gilt, while those of Members are plain silver. From 1917 until 1937, the badge of the order was suspended on a purple ribbon, with a red central stripe being added for the military division in 1918. Since 1937, the ribbon has been rose-pink with pearl-grey edges (with the addition of a pearl-grey central stripe for the military division). Knights and Dames Grand Cross wear it on
2329-399: A good goal-scoring record, and strong anticipation, movement, and timing on and off the ball. He was quick, fiercely competitive and brave, and possessed high levels of stamina. He tackled, passed well, and was also a good header of the ball. Robson had accepted Middlesbrough's offer to become player-manager at the end of the 1993–94 season , and made a dream start to his managerial career as
2466-671: A major part in Albion finishing third in Division One, their highest league placing for more than 20 years, and reaching the UEFA Cup quarter-finals. The following season was a disappointing one by comparison, with the club finishing only 10th in the league, but Robson's performances in midfield helped to earn him his first full England cap in February 1980. In the 1980–81 season , he scored ten goals in 40 league games to help Albion to
2603-423: A part-time basis. On 22 May 2007, it was announced at a press conference that Robson would be the new manager of Sheffield United , following the resignation of Neil Warnock . He was assisted by Brian Kidd , who had been assistant manager at Manchester United during Robson's final three seasons there. His first match in charge was a home match against Colchester United on 11 August in a 2–2 draw. His first win
2740-428: A player on 1 January 1997, in a Premier League game against Arsenal at Highbury 10 days before his 40th birthday. He claimed in his autobiography that he knew it was the right time to retire as his whole body ached for two weeks afterwards trying to keep up with the livewires Dennis Bergkamp and Ian Wright . In the summer of 1975, Robson was called up to the England youth team for the "mini World Cup". He played as
2877-420: A red card and subsequent ban – successive 3–0 victories resulted, until England's run finally came to an end with a 2–1 defeat against Argentina in the quarter final. The same shoulder injury was to trouble him for several weeks after the competition. Over the next two years, Robson returned to the side to lead them through qualifying for UEFA Euro 1988 . He personally played well for England, particularly with
SECTION 20
#17327800859893014-399: A string of poor results which had dragged them into a relegation battle. A month later Middlesbrough brought in former England coach Terry Venables as head coach to assist Robson, who remained as manager. The new managerial partnership saw Boro's form improve and they avoided relegation. Robson left the club "by mutual consent" in June 2001, having failed to bring the club higher than ninth in
3151-410: A teenager, he had trials with Burnley , Coventry City , Sheffield Wednesday , Newcastle United and West Bromwich Albion . Robson was in the final academic year of pupils who still had the option of finishing education at the age of 15, and in the summer of 1972, he accepted Albion manager Don Howe 's offer of a two-year apprenticeship, worth a wage of £5 per week in the first year and £8 per week in
3288-611: A weekly wage of £50,000 as well as being one of the most expensively signed. In the 1996–97 season , Robson led Boro to both domestic cup finals, but they were on the losing side both times, losing 1–0 in a replay to Leicester City in the League Cup final replay and 2–0 in the FA Cup final to Chelsea , while they suffered relegation in the Premier League. However, this relegation would have been avoided if they had not been deducted three points in mid-season for cancelling
3425-485: A winner." Bryan Robson explains his reasons for joining United Robson moved to United for a British record transfer fee of £1.5 million on 1 October 1981 and signed the contract on the Old Trafford pitch two days later before a game against Wolverhampton Wanderers . The record fee set by Robson was not broken for six years, when Liverpool paid £1.9 million for Newcastle striker Peter Beardsley in
3562-516: Is an image of Britannia surrounded by the motto, with the words "For Meritorious Service" at the bottom; on the reverse is George V's Imperial and Royal Cypher, with the words "Instituted by King George V" at the bottom. The name of the recipient is engraved on the rim. This medal is nicknamed "the Gong", and comes in both full-sized and miniature versions – the latter for formal white-tie and semi-formal black-tie occasions. A lapel pin for everyday wear
3699-557: Is from the Great Barr area and met Robson early on in his playing career with West Bromwich Albion. The couple have three children: Claire (born 17 September 1980), Charlotte (born 17 June 1982), and Ben (born 2 September 1988). In 2000, Robson reportedly had an affair with Sky Sports reporter Clare Tomlinson . Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of
3836-973: Is not a member of the College of Arms , as are many other heraldic officers; and the Lady Usher of the Purple Rod does not – unlike the Order of the Garter equivalent, the Lady Usher of the Black Rod – perform any duties related to the House of Lords . Since the Second World War, several Commonwealth realms have established their own national system of honours and awards and have created their own unique orders, decorations and medals. A number, though, continue to make recommendations for appointments to
3973-469: The 1958 FIFA World Cup , and won 23 caps. He became part of the England national team's coaching setup in 1981, working under Ron Greenwood . When Greenwood retired a year later, Howe continued to work for the national team under new manager Bobby Robson . Howe became assistant for England under Terry Venables from January 1994 to June 1996, finishing with England's semi final appearance as host nation at Euro 96 . Howe retired from coaching in
4110-608: The 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico. By now, he was considered by England manager Bobby Robson to be the best player in England. His hopes of glory were crushed by re-aggravating an existing shoulder injury in England's second game of the group stages, against Morocco , which prevented him participating further in the tournament. The enforced change to England's formation benefited them, no longer having to protect an injured player, and – despite also losing vice-captain Ray Wilkins to
4247-621: The 1990–91 season , he was restricted to 17 league appearances due to an injury suffered at the 1990 FIFA World Cup , and didn't make a first team appearance until just before Christmas. During his absence, United had been captained by fellow midfielder Neil Webb , but Robson regained the captain's armband on his return. Robson was fit for the European Cup Winners Cup final in which United beat Barcelona 2–1 in Rotterdam , with both goals coming from Mark Hughes . Robson
Bryan Robson - Misplaced Pages Continue
4384-422: The 1992–93 season and played up front with Hughes, while Hughes' former strike-partner McClair had been converted into a midfielder. This counted against Robson and the biggest blow came in the summer of 1993 when United signed Forest's Roy Keane , but even this did not quite signal the end for him at Manchester United. Robson was still able to make enough appearances for another Premier League champions medal in
4521-596: The 1993–94 season (15 games, 10 of them as a substitute), and scored one of their four goals in the FA Cup semi-final replay victory over Oldham at Maine Road , which would turn out to be his final goal for the club. He had found the net on the opening day of the season in a 2–0 win at Norwich City . At the age of 36, he finally appeared in Europe's top club tournament, the Champions League , with United reaching
4658-600: The British Empire Medal , and the following year its recipients were granted the right to use the postnominal letters BEM. During the war, the BEM came to be used to recognise acts of bravery which did not merit the award of a George Cross or George Medal , a use which continued until the introduction of the Queen's Gallantry Medal in 1974. The designs of insignia of the order and medal were altered in 1937, prior to
4795-592: The Empire Gallantry Medal , were given permission to use the postnominal letters EGM (and at the same time to add a laurel branch emblem to the ribbon of the medal); however, in 1940, awards of the EGM ceased and all holders of the medal were instructed to exchange it for a new and more prestigious gallantry award: the George Cross . In 1941, the medal of the order 'for meritorious service' was renamed
4932-516: The Highfield Road club. However, Howe resigned as manager before the 1992–93 season began. He returned to Arsenal in 1997 as part of the Academy setup wherein as the head youth coach. Howe also moved into journalism and broadcasting, becoming a pundit for Channel 4 's coverage of Serie A . As a defender, he featured regularly in the England national football team . Howe played in
5069-559: The Order of Canada . On the other hand, the Australian Honours System unilaterally created in 1975 did not achieve bi-partisan support until 1992, which was when Australian federal and state governments agreed to cease Australian recommendations for British honours; the last Australian recommended Order of the British Empire appointments were in the 1989 Queen's Birthday Honours . New Zealand continued to use
5206-474: The Premier League on Christmas Day, a position from which no team had previously escaped relegation from the Premier League. Robson was the subject of derisory chants from Albion supporters during the game, a complete contrast to his status as a club hero when he had taken to the field as a player. The team were also bottom going into the last game of the season. However, Robson and his players defied all
5343-654: The Republic of Ireland 2–0 in a UEFA Euro 1980 qualifier. His second cap came in the final preparation game for the finals—a 2–1 win over Australia in Sydney—but he didn't feature in the tournament itself, from which England were eliminated in the first round. On 9 September 1981, he marked his 13th cap by scoring his first goal for England, in a 2–1 defeat to Norway in Oslo. The match is remembered mainly for Norwegian commentator Bjørge Lillelien 's taunting of England following
5480-511: The Thailand national team in his first foray into international football management. He was contracted to manage the team through to the 2014 World Cup . On 14 November, Robson celebrated his first competitive match in charge of the team with a 3–1 away victory against Singapore in a 2011 AFC Asian Cup qualifying group match. On 18 November, Robson then suffered his first loss – a 1–0 defeat against Singapore on home soil. In January 2010, this
5617-444: The coronation of King George VI , 'in commemoration of the reign of King George V and Queen Mary, during which the Order was founded'. The figure of Britannia at the centre of the badge of the order was replaced with an image of the crowned heads of the late King and Queen Mary, and the words 'Instituted by King George V' were added to the reverse of the medal. The colour of the riband was also changed: twenty years earlier, prior to
Bryan Robson - Misplaced Pages Continue
5754-512: The following season , Robson played only sporadically. He faced stiff competition for midfield places, not least from player-manager Johnny Giles , and was utilised by Giles in various positions, including centre-half, left-back and midfield. Albion finished third in Division Two to win promotion back to the top-flight. Robson experienced top-flight football for the first time during the 1976–77 season , and began to appear more regularly in
5891-473: The 21st century quotas were introduced to ensure consistent representation among recipients across nine categories of eligibility: with the largest proportion of awards being reserved for community, voluntary and local service. Non-military awards of the British Empire Medal resumed in 2012, starting with 293 BEMs awarded for Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee . In 2017 the centenary of
6028-703: The 3–0 quarter-final second leg victory over Barcelona at Old Trafford, overturning a 2–0 first leg deficit to progress 3–2 on aggregate. He missed both legs of the semi-final defeat by Juventus due to a hamstring injury, but while in Turin for the second leg was given permission by United to speak to Juve regarding a proposed transfer. The move never took place as neither Juventus nor any other club were prepared to meet United's £3 million asking price. Robson's injury also meant that he missed several crucial late season games as United's title challenge slipped away and they finished fourth, with Liverpool becoming champions for
6165-602: The Baggies in twelve years. Howe was signed by Billy Wright 's Arsenal in 1964, and was made club captain. However, in March 1966 he broke his leg playing against Blackpool and only played two further first team games both in September 1966. Firstly against Manchester City in the League on the 10th and then on the 13th against Gillingham in the League Cup. Howe made 70 appearances for Arsenal altogether. In 2004, he
6302-638: The Brazilians Juninho and Branco . They went fourth in the Premier League in October 1995, sparking hopes of UEFA Cup qualification, but an injury crisis sparked a slump in form and they slid down the table to finish 12th. In the summer of 1996, Robson paid £7 million to sign the Juventus and Italy striker Fabrizio Ravanelli , who became the highest-paid player in English football with
6439-484: The British Empire is a British order of chivalry , rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service . It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two of which make the recipient either a knight if male or a dame if female. There is also the related British Empire Medal , whose recipients are affiliated with, but not members of,
6576-792: The British Empire . Rather than using this chapel, the Order now holds its great services upstairs in the nave of the cathedral. In addition to the Chapel of the Order of the British Empire, St Paul's Cathedral also houses the Chapel of the Order of St Michael and St George . Religious services for the whole Order are held every four years; new Knights and Dames Grand Cross are installed at these services. Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commander prefix Sir , and Dames Grand Cross and Dames Commander prefix Dame , to their forenames. Wives of Knights may prefix Lady to their surnames, but no equivalent privilege exists for husbands of Knights or spouses of Dames. Such forms are not used by peers and princes, except when
6713-443: The British Empire for Gallantry. Any individual made a member of the order for gallantry after 14 January 1958 wears an emblem of two crossed silver oak leaves on the same ribbon as the badge, with a miniature version on the ribbon bar when worn alone. When the ribbon only is worn the emblem is worn in miniature. It could not be awarded posthumously , and was replaced in 1974 with the Queen's Gallantry Medal (QGM). If recipients of
6850-404: The England under-23 squad following his call-up. Giles left Albion at the end of the 1976–77 eason. His successor, the club's chief scout and former player Ronnie Allen , picked Robson to replace Giles in central midfield. However, Allen himself left midway through the season and defender John Wile was put in temporary charge. Results worsened and Robson was dropped from the team. He returned to
6987-705: The English footballing game. Howe was born in the Springfield area of Wolverhampton in 1935 and spent his secondary education at St Peter's Collegiate School . Howe joined the West Bromwich Albion ground staff after leaving school, joining the club as a youth player in December 1950. He turned professional in November 1952, but did not make his debut until 1955, against Everton . In all he played 379 league and cup games scoring 19 goals for
SECTION 50
#17327800859897124-892: The Military Division of the order from the UK and across the Empire. Recommendations for all appointments to the Order of the British Empire were originally made on the nomination of the King's United Kingdom ministers (recommendations for overseas awards were made by the Foreign Office , the Colonial Office , the India Office and the Dominions Office ); but in the early 1940s the system was changed to enable
7261-436: The Order of the British Empire for Gallantry received promotion within the order, whether for gallantry or otherwise, they continued to wear also the insignia of the lower grade with the oak leaves; however, they used only the post-nominal letters of the higher grade. When the order was founded in 1917, badges, ribands and stars were appointed for wear by recipients. In 1929 mantles, hats and collars were added for recipients of
7398-520: The Order of the British Empire. In 2024 appointments to the order were made by the governments of: Most members of the order are citizens of the United Kingdom or Commonwealth realms that use the UK system of honours and awards. In addition, honorary awards may be made to citizens of nations where the monarch is not head of state ; these permit use of post-nominal letters, but not the title of Sir or Dame . Honorary appointees who later become
7535-404: The Order, however, are not assigned any special precedence. As a general rule, only wives and children of male recipients are afforded privileges. Knights and Dames Grand Cross are also entitled to be granted heraldic supporters . They may, furthermore, encircle their arms with a depiction of the circlet (a circle bearing the motto) and the collar; the former is shown either outside or on top of
7672-464: The Premier League on two occasions. Between 1994 and 1996, he also served as assistant coach to England manager Terry Venables , which included Euro 96 . He later returned to West Bromwich Albion for two years as manager, helping them become the first top division team in 14 years to avoid relegation after being bottom of the league table on Christmas Day. Less successful have been his short-lived spells as manager of Bradford City and Sheffield United ,
7809-486: The UK continue to make appointments to the order. Honorary awards may be made to citizens of other nations of which the order's sovereign is not the head of state. The five classes of appointment to the Order are, from highest grade to lowest grade: The senior two ranks of Knight or Dame Grand Cross and Knight or Dame Commander entitle their members to use the titles Sir for men and Dame for women before their forenames, except with honorary awards. King George V founded
7946-463: The United Kingdom; those who would formerly have met the criteria for the medal were instead made eligible for the MBE. In 2004, a report entitled A Matter of Honour: Reforming Our Honours System by a Commons select committee recommended phasing out the Order of the British Empire, as its title was "now considered to be unacceptable, being thought to embody values that are no longer shared by many of
8083-585: The United squad and the press reported that Ferguson was hoping to sign a new, younger midfielder, although no such addition took place in 1992. Robson still captained the club in most of his first-team appearances, but Steve Bruce was captaining the side when Robson was absent. Robson made just 14 league appearances during the 1992–93 season , which was the first season of the new Premier League. The club's regular central midfielders for this season were Ince (who had been at United since 1989) and Brian McClair (who
8220-402: The award of medal of the order to Lizzie Robinson, a munitions worker. The order had been established primarily as a civilian award; in August 1918, however, not long after its foundation, a number of awards were made to serving naval and military personnel. Four months later, a 'Military Division' was added to the order, to which serving personnel would in future be appointed. The classes were
8357-434: The best players they had worked or played with. Adams said additionally that Robson had a "terrific football brain" and had exceptional awareness and anticipation; often intercepting or knowing where the ball would land ahead of other players. Adams said this separated outstanding players from good players, and Robson would fit into the category of "the best". Paul Gascoigne stated in his 2004 book Gazza: My Story that Robson
SECTION 60
#17327800859898494-474: The cathedral. That year, Commonwealth awards made up 40% of all OBEs and MBEs awarded (and 35% of all living recipients of the higher awards). Gradually that proportion reduced as independent states within the Commonwealth established their own systems of honours . The last Canadian recommendation for the Order of the British Empire was an MBE for gallantry gazetted in 1966, a year before the creation of
8631-402: The centre for awards in the military division). From time to time the order was expanded: there was an increase in the maximum permitted number of recipients in 1933, and a further increase in 1937. During the Second World War, as had been the case during and after World War I, the number of military awards was greatly increased; between 1939 and 1946 there were more than 33,000 appointments to
8768-418: The circlet. In 1929, to bring the order into line with the other orders of chivalry, members of the first class of the order (GBE) were provided with mantles, hats and collars. Only Knights/Dames Grand Cross wear these elaborate vestments; the hat is now rarely, if ever, worn. Use of the mantle is limited to important occasions (such as quadrennial services and coronations ). The mantle is always worn with
8905-492: The civil division were to be divided equally between UK and overseas awards. With regard to the Medal of the Order (but not the order itself), a distinction was made in 1922 between awards 'for gallantry' and awards 'for meritorious service' (each being appropriately inscribed, and the former having laurel leaves decorating the clasp, the latter oak leaves). In 1933 holders of the medal 'for gallantry', which had come to be known as
9042-465: The club "by mutual consent" on 18 September 2006, following a disappointing start to the season with The Baggies in 9th place in the Championship with only three wins from their first eight games. After his departure from West Brom, Robson spent eight months out of the game. He was interested in becoming the England under-21 team's full-time manager, but the job went instead to Stuart Pearce on
9179-560: The club won the Division One title and promotion to the Premier League . Robson oversaw Boro's final season at Ayresome Park before relocation to the new 30,000-seat Riverside Stadium on the banks of the River Tees . He was assisted by Viv Anderson , another former Manchester United and England player. Middlesbrough made an ambitious return to the Premier League and attracted expensively-signed big names like Nick Barmby and
9316-444: The collar. Although the mantle was introduced in 1929, very few mantles would have been produced prior to the 1937 design changes, as there were few occasions for wearing them in the intervening years. On certain days designated by the sovereign, known as " collar days ", members attending formal events may wear the order's collar over their military uniform, formal day dress, evening wear or robes of office. Collars are returned upon
9453-479: The country's population". The committee further suggested changing the name of the award to the Order of British Excellence, and changing the rank of Commander to Companion (as the former was said to have a "militaristic ring"), as well as advocating for the abolition of knighthoods and damehoods; the government, however, was not of the opinion that a case for change had been made, and the aforementioned suggestions and recommendations were not, therefore, pursued. In
9590-403: The death of their owners, but other insignia may be retained. The six office-holders of the order wear pearl-grey mantles lined with rose-pink, having on the right side a purple shield charged with the roundel from the badge. Each of these office-holders wears a unique badge of office, suspended from a gold chain worn around the neck. The British Empire Medal is made of silver. On the obverse
9727-626: The distinction between ranks in military operational gallantry awards will cease'. The reforms affected the order at various levels: for example the automatic award each year of a GBE to the Lord Mayor of London ceased; the OBE replaced the Imperial Service Order as an award for civil servants and the number of MBEs awarded each year was significantly increased. As part of these reforms the British Empire Medal stopped being awarded by
9864-410: The final day of the season against Wimbledon – it was his only goal of that campaign. By that point, United were Premier League champions and Robson finally won the league championship medal that he had been trying to gain since his days at West Bromwich Albion some 15 years earlier. It was not just injuries that were restricting the 36-year-old Robson's first-team chances. Cantona had been signed during
10001-531: The final whistle. England coach Ron Greenwood started to feature Robson regularly in his midfield, selecting him for the first dozen internationals after the European Championships finished, including all eight of the qualifying games for the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain, through which England earned a place in the finals. His England career was flourishing as the World Cup neared; he scored in
10138-513: The first half of the 1990–91 season . In early 1992, Howe assisted Barry Fry with defensive work at Barnet . Shortly after leaving QPR, he became assistant manager to Terry Butcher at Coventry City and became manager in January 1992 when Butcher was sacked. Howe secured a place in the new FA Premier League for Coventry, who missed relegation by one place, and just after the end of the 1991–92 season Gould rejoined him as joint manager of
10275-505: The former lasting barely six months and ending in relegation from what is now the EFL Championship , and the latter lasting less than a year and seeing his expensively-assembled side fail to challenge for promotion to the Premier League. On 23 September 2009, Robson was appointed manager of the Thailand national team . He resigned on 8 June 2011. On 1 July 2011, Robson was appointed "Global Ambassador" at Manchester United. Robson
10412-529: The former was to be responsible for recording all proceedings connected with the order, issuing warrants under the seal of the order and making arrangements for investitures, while the latter (at that time the Permanent Secretary to the Treasury ) was responsible for collecting and tabulating the names of those who were to receive an award. The office of Dean was added in 1957. The King of Arms
10549-541: The funds he was expecting to help rebuild the team. After a 0–0 draw at home to Scunthorpe United on 9 February 2008, Robson came under increasing pressure from fans urging the board to sack the manager. Consequently, Robson was summoned to a meeting in Brussels on 13 February with McCabe, as the club considered its response to the scenes which followed the goalless draw against Scunthorpe. In an interview with BBC Radio Sheffield , Robson stated that his team could have won
10686-480: The game against Leicester City on 28 April 1984. Despite introducing young players including Tony Adams , David Rocastle and Niall Quinn to the team during the mid-1980s, he was unable to win trophies, as Arsenal finished either 6th or 7th under him, although they did briefly top the league in October 1984. After just over two years in the job, Howe resigned on 22 March 1986, shortly after Arsenal's match against Coventry City . George Graham succeeded him. This
10823-401: The governments of overseas dominions to make their own nominations; Canada and South Africa began doing so in 1942, followed by Australia, New Zealand and other Commonwealth realms. In May 1957, forty years after the foundation of the order, it was announced that St Paul's Cathedral was to serve as the church of the order, and in 1960 a chapel was dedicated for its use within the crypt of
10960-450: The highest class of the order (GBE). The designs of all these items underwent major changes in 1937. The badge is worn by all members of the order; the size, colour and design depends on the class of award. The badge for all classes is in the form of a cross patonce (having the arms growing broader and floriated toward the end) with a medallion in the centre, the obverse of which bears a crowned image of George V and Queen Mary within
11097-615: The honours system, calling it "a preposterous charade". The order has attracted some criticism for its naming having connection with the idea of the now-extinct British Empire . Benjamin Zephaniah , a British poet of Jamaican and Barbadian descent, publicly rejected appointment as an Officer in 2003 because, he asserted, it reminded him of "thousands of years of brutality". He also said that "it reminds me of how my foremothers were raped and my forefathers brutalised". Don Howe Donald Howe (12 October 1935 – 23 December 2015)
11234-446: The insignia to Buckingham Palace and by ceasing to make reference to their honour, but they still hold the honour unless and until annulled by the monarch. In 2003, The Sunday Times published a list of the people who had rejected the Order of the British Empire, including David Bowie , John Cleese , Nigella Lawson , Elgar Howarth , L. S. Lowry , George Melly , and J. G. Ballard . In addition, Ballard voiced his opposition to
11371-733: The job went instead to Brian Kerr . In November 2003 Robson was set to become Nigeria 's national coach, but the appointment was blocked by the Nigerian sports minister due to doubts that Robson's wage demands could be met. Later that month, Robson did make his football comeback more than two years after leaving Middlesbrough. He accepted the offer to manage Division One strugglers Bradford City . Robson won his first game in charge as Bradford fought back from 2–0 down to beat Millwall 3–2. But he recorded just six more wins as Bradford took only 22 points from 27 games under Robson and were relegated, finishing second from bottom. Robson's short-term contract
11508-640: The junior post-nominal letters. The British sovereign is the sovereign of the order and appoints all other officers of the order (by convention, on the advice of the governments of the United Kingdom and some Commonwealth realms ). The second-most senior officer is the Grand Master (a 'Prince of the Blood Royal, or other exalted personage' appointed by the sovereign, who, by virtue of their appointment, becomes 'the First or Principal Knight Grand Cross of
11645-528: The latter. Knights and Dames Commander and Commanders may display the circlet, but not the collar, surrounding their arms. The badge is depicted suspended from the collar or circlet. See List of current honorary knights and dames of the Order of the British Empire Only the monarch can annul an honour. The Honours Forfeiture Committee considers cases and makes recommendations for forfeiture. An individual can renounce their honour by returning
11782-571: The league, Robson scored United's first goal in the FA Cup final against Crystal Palace in the first match which ended in a 3–3 draw. United won the replay 1–0 and Robson thus became the first United captain to lift the cup three times. Robson had faced his familiar fight against injury once again in that 1989–90 season , restricted to 20 appearances out of 38 in the league, as United finished 13th – their lowest finish since relegation in 1974. Robson's testimonial match took place on 20 November 1990 and saw United lose 3–1 to Celtic at Old Trafford. During
11919-473: The league, or to bring them any silverware. His successor was Steve McClaren , the Manchester United assistant manager. Despite being linked with a string of managerial vacancies, Robson would not return to management for more than two years. Following the resignation of Mick McCarthy , Robson emerged in January 2003 as the bookmakers' favourite to become the new Republic of Ireland manager, but
12056-463: The left breast, by Knights and Dames Grand Cross; Knights and Dames Commander wear a smaller star composed of 'four equal points and four lesser'. The star is not worn by the more junior classes. Prior to 1937 each star had in the centre a gold medallion with a figure of Britannia, surrounded by a crimson circlet inscribed with the motto of the order ('For God and the Empire'); since 1937 the effigies of King George V and Queen Mary have been shown within
12193-480: The list at the time. He played for England at the 1982 , 1986 and 1990 World Cups , and at Euro 1988 . Robson captained his country 65 times; only Bobby Moore and Billy Wright have captained England on more occasions. Robson began his management career as a player-manager with Middlesbrough in 1994, retiring from playing in 1997. In seven years as Middlesbrough manager, he guided them to three Wembley finals, which were all lost, and earned them promotion to
12330-571: The match with Scunthorpe if they had better support from the fans. After his meeting with McCabe, on 14 February he was "relieved of his first-team duties" before later in the day leaving Sheffield United after turning down another role with the club. In March 2008, 14 years after he had last played for them, Robson returned to Manchester United to work as an ambassador, for an initial period of 12 months. He worked alongside Sir Bobby Charlton to help United 'promote its commercial and charitable aims'. On 23 September 2009, Robson agreed to become coach of
12467-473: The names of the former are written out in their fullest forms. Male clergy of the Church of England or the Church of Scotland do not use the title Sir (unless they were knighted before being ordained) as they do not receive the accolade (they are not dubbed "knight" with a sword), although they do append the post-nominal letters ; dames do not receive the accolade, and therefore female clergy are free to use
12604-524: The next few weeks and by the end of March a succession of good results had seen Boro climb out of the relegation zone. This, coupled with the excellent cup runs, saw Robson voted Premier League Manager of the Month for March 1997. Robson made one playing appearance this season on New Years Day, starting in a 2–0 defeat away to Arsenal. This proved to be his last game as a professional footballer, though he did not announce his retirement from playing until later in
12741-454: The numbers restricted to the order as full members do. Although the Order of the British Empire has by far the highest number of members of the British orders of chivalry, with more than 100,000 living members worldwide, there are fewer appointments to knighthoods than in other orders. From time to time, individuals may be promoted to a higher grade within the Order, thereby ceasing usage of
12878-406: The odds to stay up thanks to a 2–0 home win over Portsmouth on the final day of the season, coupled with favourable results from elsewhere. Despite some significant new signings in the 2005 close season, his team failed to build on this achievement in 2005–06 though, and Albion were relegated with two matches left to play. They had failed to win any of their final 13 Premier League games. Robson left
13015-620: The order alongside its own honours until the establishment of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 1996. Other Commonwealth realms have continued to use the Order of the British Empire alongside their own honours. In 1993 the Prime Minister, John Major , instituted a reform of the honours system with the aim 'that exceptional service or achievement will be more widely recognised; that greater importance will be given to voluntary service; that automatic honours will end; that
13152-581: The order to fill gaps in the British honours system : In particular, George V wished to create an order to honour the many thousands of individuals from across the Empire who had served in a variety of non-combat roles during the First World War . From its foundation the order consisted of five classes (GBE, KBE/DBE, CBE, OBE and MBE) and was open to both women and men; provision was also made for conferring honorary awards on foreign recipients. At
13289-409: The order was celebrated with a service at St Paul's Cathedral. The order is limited to 300 Knights and Dames Grand Cross, 845 Knights and Dames Commander, and 8,960 Commanders. There are no limits applied to the total number of members of the fourth and fifth classes, but no more than 858 officers and 1,464 members may be appointed per year. Foreign appointees, as honorary members, do not contribute to
13426-410: The order's establishment, Queen Mary had made it known that pink would be her preferred colour for the riband of the proposed new order, but, in the event, purple was chosen. Following her appointment as Grand Master of the order in 1936 a change was duly made and since 9 March 1937 the riband of the order has been 'rose pink edged with pearl grey’ (with the addition of a vertical pearl grey stripe in
13563-402: The order. The order was established on 4 June 1917 by King George V , who created the order to recognise 'such persons, male or female, as may have rendered or shall hereafter render important services to Our Empire'. Equal recognition was to be given for services rendered in the UK and overseas. Today the majority of recipients are UK citizens, though a number of Commonwealth realms outside
13700-426: The original break was refractured in a challenge with Stoke City 's Denis Smith . Again he recovered, and returned to the first team in late December. He went on to enjoy a run in the side and scored his first professional hat-trick , in a 4–0 win against Ipswich Town on 16 March 1977. One month later however, he broke his right ankle in a challenge with Manchester City 's Dennis Tueart , causing him to pull out of
13837-427: The role with that of England assistant manager (under Terry Venables ), and was linked with the manager's job when Venables announced his intention to quit after Euro 96 , only to rule himself out of the running due to his limited experience. He was not included in new manager Glenn Hoddle 's coaching staff. In 2015, he expressed regret at turning down the opportunity to manage England. Robson played his final game as
13974-603: The same Order'). The position of Grand Master has been held by the following people: In addition to the sovereign and the grand master , the order has six further officers: At its foundation the order was served by three officers: the King of Arms, the Registrar & Secretary and the Gentleman Usher of the Purple Rod. In 1922 the Prelate was added, and the office of Registrar was separated from that of Secretary:
14111-466: The same as for the Civil Division (as it was now termed), but military awards were distinguished by the addition of a central vertical red stripe to the purple riband of the civil awards. In 1920 appointment as an MBE 'for an act of gallantry' was granted for the first time, to Sydney Frank Blanck Esq, who had rescued an injured man from a burning building containing explosives. In December 1922
14248-573: The same time, alongside the order, the Medal of the Order of the British Empire was instituted, to serve as a lower award granting recipients affiliation but not membership. The first investiture took place at Ibrox Stadium , as part of a royal visit to the Glasgow shipyards, with the appointment of Alexander Ure, 1st Baron Strathclyde as a GBE (in recognition of his role as chairman of the Scottish War Savings Committee) and
14385-437: The season remaining, Robson was called up to the senior team for the first time by caretaker manager Brian Whitehouse . He made his first team debut away at York City on 12 April 1975 at the age of 18, helping Albion to a 3–1 victory. In the following game, his home debut, he scored his first goal for the club, in a 2–0 win over Cardiff City , and also scored in the final match of the season away at Nottingham Forest . During
14522-414: The season trophyless in fourth place 12 points behind champions Liverpool, 10 points behind runners-up Everton and eight points behind third-placed West Ham United . Injuries, notably a dislocated shoulder suffering in February 1986, restricted Robson to just 21 out of 42 league appearances for United in 1985–86 , though he did manage seven goals. United started the following season badly and Ron Atkinson
14659-590: The season. Despite these setbacks the board kept faith in Robson and he repaid their loyalty with automatic promotion back to the Premier League in the 1997–98 season . Again, the club missed out on cup success at the final hurdle with a 2–0 defeat against Chelsea in the League Cup final . Boro would remain in the Premier League for the next 11 seasons, with Robson remaining as manager for three of those seasons. They finished ninth in 1999, 12th in 2000 and 14th in 2001. In November 2000, he criticised his players following
14796-473: The second match (against the Netherlands) that was to keep him out of the rest of the tournament. Likewise, England's revamped formation played better without their captain, whose place in the team was taken by David Platt during the knock-out stages, as England finished fourth. Robson was picked by both Bobby Robson and Tony Adams in their England dream teams, in their respective autobiographies of all
14933-401: The second round. Robson scored a late equaliser in the second round first leg clash with Galatasaray , which ended in a 3–3 draw at Old Trafford. Robson was dropped from the squad for the FA Cup final , a decision which manager Ferguson later admitted was one of the hardest of his career, opting to select the more flexible Sharpe and McClair as the outfield substitutes. His final appearance in
15070-453: The second year. Towards the end of the 1973–74 season, his second as an apprentice, Robson made his reserve team debut, against Everton reserves at Goodison Park . He signed a professional contract in the summer of 1974, earning £28 per week plus a £250 signing on fee. During the 1974–75 season , he was a regular in Albion's reserve team, but was not selected by Don Howe for the first team. Following Howe's departure with three matches of
15207-492: The side under new boss Ron Atkinson , whom Robson described as "a down-to-earth, fair-minded, regular bloke". Atkinson did leave Robson out of an FA Cup semi-final against Ipswich Town , but recalled him for the latter stages of the league campaign as Albion qualified for the UEFA Cup . In the 1978–79 season , Robson was a key player, starting 41 out of 42 league games and wearing the number 7 shirt on each occasion. He played
15344-404: The side, although he was still alternating between the positions of left back and his preferred central midfield role. His rapid progress was halted however, when he received the first serious injury of his career. Playing at left back, he broke his left leg in a tackle with Tottenham Hotspur striker Chris Jones . Two months later, Robson made his comeback in a reserve game at The Hawthorns , but
15481-461: The standard of the George Medal (even though, as appointments to an order of chivalry, they were listed before it on the Order of Wear . In contrast to awards for meritorious service, which usually appear without a citation, there were often citations for gallantry awards, some detailed and graphic. From 14 January 1958, these awards were designated Commander, Officer or Member of the Order of
15618-416: The statutes of the order were amended; there having been a large number of awards for war work prior to this date, these amended statutes placed the order on more of a peacetime footing. For the first time numbers of appointments were limited, with the stipulation that senior awards in the Civil Division were to outnumber those in the Military Division by a proportion of six to one. Furthermore appointments in
15755-438: The summer of 1987. Robson made his United debut on 7 October 1981 in a 1–0 defeat away at Tottenham Hotspur in the League Cup . His league debut for his new club came three days later, in a goalless draw against Manchester City at Maine Road . This was his first appearance in the Manchester United number 7 shirt, which he wore for most of his appearances with United. Robson scored his first goal for United on 7 November 1981 in
15892-546: The summer of 2003 after more than 30 years. He though still ran youth coaching schemes across the United Kingdom. He occasionally wrote as a pundit for the BBC Sport website. He also held a regular column in the official Arsenal magazine. Towards the end of 2007 and the beginning of 2008, he worked with the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) as part of a three-man panel to appoint Giovanni Trapattoni as
16029-408: The third successive season and 15th time overall. Robson instead extended his contract with United in 1984, signing a seven-year deal worth around £1 million which would keep him there until at least 1991. United emerged as title challengers again the following season, although the title was eventually won by Everton . He captained the club to another FA Cup triumph, this time over Everton, where
16166-541: The third-place match against South Korea . For his achievement, Robson received an inscribed gold watch, which he still occasionally wears. Robson captained England for the first time on 17 November 1982, leading the side to a 3–0 win over Greece in Salonika . He scored a hat-trick in England's 8–0 victory over Turkey in Istanbul on 14 November 1984. "Captain Marvel", as he was nicknamed, helped England qualify for
16303-506: The title Dame . Knights and Dames Grand Cross use the post-nominal GBE; Knights Commander, KBE; Dames Commander, DBE; Commanders, CBE; Officers, OBE; and Members, MBE. The post-nominal for the British Empire Medal is BEM. Members of all classes of the order are assigned positions in the order of precedence . Wives of male members of all classes also feature on the order of precedence, as do sons, daughters and daughters-in-law of Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commander; relatives of Ladies of
16440-679: Was 22 at the time) as England beat Wales 1–0 at Swansea's Vetch Field . He made his England B debut on 12 June 1979, and scored after just five minutes to give England a 1–0 lead against Austria B in Klagenfurt , although the match was abandoned after 60 minutes. He appeared three times for England B in all, captaining the side on his third and final appearance as England drew 0–0 with Algeria's A team in Algiers on 11 December 1990. On 6 February 1980, Robson made his full international debut, and his first appearance at Wembley , as England beat
16577-485: Was Newcastle forward Wyn Davies . A keen footballer from a young age, he joined the local Cub Scout group purely so that he could play for their football team. Robson attended Birtley South Secondary Modern School, and later, Lord Lawson of Beamish comprehensive school , where he competed for the school in athletics and football. He was captain of both his school football team and the Washington and District team. As
16714-424: Was an English football player, coach, manager and pundit. As a right back Howe featured for clubs West Bromwich Albion and Arsenal together with the England national football team in his playing career. He also went on to manage sides West Brom, Arsenal, Galatasaray , Queens Park Rangers and Coventry City . Howe was also a successful coach and has been described as one of the most influential figures of
16851-567: Was born in Northlands, Chester-le-Street , County Durham , to Brian, a long distance lorry-driver, and Maureen Robson. He was the second of four children, after sister Susan and ahead of younger brothers Justin and Gary (also footballers). Robson was brought up in Witton Gilbert until he was six, when the family moved to nearby Chester-le-Street, the town where he was born. As a boy, he supported Newcastle United ; his childhood hero
16988-402: Was first announced at the end of December 2006, and is available to recipients of all levels of the order, as well as to holders of the British Empire Medal . The pin design is not unique to any level. The pin features the badge of the order, enclosed in a circle of ribbon of its colours of pink and grey. Lapel pins must be purchased separately by a member of the order. The creation of such a pin
17125-493: Was followed by two goalless draws with Jordan and Iran during qualification. On 3 March 2010, Robson's Thailand suffered a 1–0 defeat by the hands of Iran in Tehran in their final Group E game, effectively ending their hopes of qualifying for 2011 AFC Asian Cup . On 11 August, Robson led Thailand to another victory against Singapore with a score of 1–0 on home soil. In September 2010, Robson overcame Bob Houghton 's India in
17262-469: Was made a substantive member and subsequently styled as Sir Terry Wogan). Although initially intended to recognise meritorious service, the order began to also be awarded for gallantry. There were an increased number of cases in the Second World War for service personnel and civilians including the merchant navy, police, emergency services and civil defence, mostly MBEs but with a small number of OBEs and CBEs. Such awards were for gallantry that did not reach
17399-543: Was named as one of West Bromwich Albion's 16 greatest players, in a poll organised as part of the club's 125th anniversary celebrations. Howe retired from playing and became Arsenal's reserve team coach under Bertie Mee , then stepping up to first team coach after the departure of Dave Sexton in October 1967. Arsenal won the Double in 1971 with Howe playing a crucial role. Not long afterward he returned to his old club, West Bromwich Albion, as manager. Howe's tenure at WBA
17536-422: Was not a success, as the club were relegated to Division Two in 1973. Howe then joined Leeds United as a coach, later becoming assistant manager under Jimmy Armfield , before moving on to manage Turkish club Galatasaray in 1975. Howe rejoined Arsenal in 1977 as head coach, under Terry Neill . After Neill's sacking on 16 December 1983, Howe became Arsenal caretaker-manager and was appointed permanently after
17673-488: Was not renewed and he handed the reins over to his assistant Colin Todd . Robson's third management job began on 9 November 2004, when he agreed to return to his old club West Bromwich Albion as manager – 23 years after his departure as a player. His first match in charge ended in a 2–1 home defeat to his former club Middlesbrough. A 4–0 loss away to local rivals Birmingham City on 18 December meant that Albion were bottom of
17810-480: Was only the second English captain to lift the trophy for United, and their first since Charlie Roberts in the 1909 final ; as United had been captained by an Irishman in their 1948 and 1963 triumphs and a Scotsman in 1977 . The following season, Robson helped the club enjoy a memorable run in the European Cup Winners' Cup – the club's best European run for 15 years. Robson scored twice in
17947-585: Was recommended in Sir Hayden Phillips ' review of the honours system in 2004. The Chapel of the Order of the British Empire is in St Paul's Cathedral . It occupies the far eastern end of the cathedral crypt and was dedicated in 1960. The only heraldic banners normally on display in the chapel are those of the Sovereign of the Order of the British Empire and of the Grand Master of the Order of
18084-566: Was sacked as manager in November 1986 and replaced by Alex Ferguson . The new manager had almost completely overhauled the squad within three years, but Robson remained firmly part of his plans. United finished second in the league in 1988, nine points behind champions Liverpool, but a frustrating campaign in 1988–89 saw them finish 11th. Robson remained largely injury free during these seasons. In 1990, Robson and United finally got their hands on another major trophy after five years of trying. After an injury-hit campaign where United had struggled in
18221-494: Was shifted from the attacking positions following the late November arrival of Eric Cantona ), while his other favoured position on the right side of midfield was either occupied by Mike Phelan or the younger, wider-lying Kanchelskis and Lee Sharpe . With the introduction of squad numbers for the 1993–94 Premier League, Robson was issued with the number 12 shirt, while the number 7 shirt that he had worn in virtually every game of his career went to Cantona instead. Robson scored on
18358-639: Was still a regular choice for United during the 1991–92 season despite competition from much younger players including Webb, Paul Ince and Andrei Kanchelskis . During that season, he made his 90th and final appearance for the England team, who by this stage were being managed by Graham Taylor . But the season ended in disappointment for Robson as United were overhauled in the First Division championship race by Leeds United . He missed their League Cup final victory over Nottingham Forest through injury and his first-team chances were starting to look increasingly numbered as he faced competition from other players within
18495-472: Was subsequent to circulated reports that the board were looking at the time at FC Barcelona manager Terry Venables . Howe later joined Wimbledon as assistant to Bobby Gould in 1987, and helped them win the FA Cup with a shock win over Liverpool in 1988 . His coaching expertise earned him a great deal of credit for Wimbledon's cup triumph. Howe then left Wimbledon to manage QPR between November 1989 and May 1991, with Gould briefly assisting him in
18632-443: Was the best footballer he had ever shared a pitch with and the best player of his generation. Additionally, Peter Beardsley named him in his "Perfect XI" selection, football magazine Four Four Two ' s interviews with current and former players of their "dream team" selections. His final game for England was a European Championship qualifier played against Turkey in October 1991. A well-rounded box-to-box midfielder , Robson had
18769-735: Was three days later in a 3–1 win against Chesterfield in the League Cup . United subsequently collected nine points in their first 10 league matches , leaving the Blades in 20th place in the Championship and prompting Robson to comment about the situation. After a string of inconsistent results and a 2–0 derby defeat to Sheffield Wednesday , Robson publicly stated that he had lost patience with his players. Following calls for Robson's resignation, Sheffield United chairman Kevin McCabe gave Robson his public backing and called for patience and unity. Robson has since expressed his disappointment at not having
#988011