Sir Bobby Robson last night hailed Newcastle United's heart-stopping victory over Feyenoord as the greatest of his time as manager at St James's Park.

United became the first team to lose their opening three Champions' League matches in the opening group phase and still make the next round.

Craig Bellamy wrote United a cheque for £10m with his sensational last-minute winner at De Kuip.

And Robson declared: "This is the greatest night of my management at Newcastle.

"Beating Juventus at our place was great - if we hadn't done that we wouldn't have made it - but this win here is more important.

"It is great for the club's reputation - we've created a bit of history for ourselves. We didn't think after losing the first three games that we would end up with nine points.

"But Juventus have done a great job for us as well by beating Dynamo Kiev.

"Financially it's a bit of a windfall for us! But I am just working for the prestige and credibility and this success in such a big game for the club is a great motivation for the players."

United looked to have blown it as they relinquished a two-goal lead in a frantic second half.

"It was a traumatic evening," confessed Robson.

"It went from safe to scary to blinking dangerous. It was heart-stopping and always on an edge. It looked like Feyenoord were going to come back to win it - but we won it in the end quite remarkably.

"I am pretty ecstatic but also numb. It's hard to believe we have done it. Craig Bellamy got two goals but he maybe should have scored twice before he got the winner."

Bellamy made his comeback after being out with renewed knee problems and Robson added: "I thought we might get 70 minutes out of him. He hasn't played for three-and-a-half weeks and to come in at this level is quite extraordinary.

"He was always dangerous. I thought he might give us that last surge to get us a goal and that is what he did."

Bellamy later admitted: "That was the biggest goal of my career. I scored some winners for Wales, but this one means so much. It's a fantastic achievement for the club.

"I have worked hard to get fit for this game. As long as everything had gone right I had this game in mind to come back.

"I knew I had a chance for the goal, I thought it was a better angle than it was, but luckily it went in."

Bellamy added: "It's important financially for the club that we have gone through.

"Everyone wants to take on the biggest sides in Europe and we have got better and better as the group as gone one. We deserve to go through."

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