SIR Bobby Robson believes he was well on his to bringing silverware back to Newcastle United when the club he loved wielded the axe.

Robson was sacked at the beginning of last season after a disappointing start to the campaign, but believes he could have given the St James' Park board and, more importantly the fans, what they have craved after a 36-year drought if he had been given a little more time.

Speaking on the eve of the launch of his autobiography, Farewell but not Goodbye, Robson denied managing Newcastle was the 'impossible job' and believed success could be achieved, all things being equal.

"It's not an impossible job, not at all," he said. "It's a fantastic football club, I love it. It's a vibrant city, it's a football city, it's a one team city. It has a magnificent stadium, 52,000 every Saturday, great fan base, can't get a ticket.

"The city is so expectant, it's waiting for success and it can be achieved. I hope so, I think I came near to it."

In his time at the helm Newcastle were 11th twice and then in the three seasons before his dismissal never finished outside the top five, ensuring European qualification in the process and making it as far as the UEFA Cup semi-final.

"This time last year I thought we had the best squad we had ever had," he said.

"People said it wasn't big enough but it was. We bought (Stephen) Carr, young (James) Milner, Patrick Kluivert and Nicky Butt."

It is clear Robson felt some of the players he had put his trust in had let him down.

"Kluivert didn't cost us a penny, came on a completely free transfer, with a one year option so that at the end of one year we could take a look at him," he said.

"Big guy, great touch, fantastic player, he just didn't give it, didn't give what he should have given to the club.

"He wasted his career here.

"I said to him he had a chance to be another Shearer, 'play with him for two years and you will be fantastic' . . ."

Butt also failed to live up to expectations after the England midfielder was signed from Manchester United.

"Everybody thought Butt would be a great player," he said.

"There was not one guy in this whole bloody city who didn't think Butt would be the player we wanted. Everybody is clever in hindsight.

"At the time we signed him he was going to be fantastic for us. But I don't think he ever got Manchester United out of his bloody system, so he never turned out to be the player he is, not was, is!"

As well as the likes of Jermaine Jenas and Kieron Dyer, Robson was also fulsome in his praise of winger Darren Ambrose and believes it is incredible that his successor Graeme Souness allowed him to leave this summer to join Charlton.

"I can't believe they let him ago," he said. "He is going to be some player that boy.

"I stole him for a million pounds, stole him. You watch him play. I think Charlton have made the best buy of the summer, in my opinion."

Robson believes his record stands up to scrutiny and says, while he would have loved to have lifted a trophy during his time at St James' Park, people have to look at the bigger picture.

He said: "There are three things you can win in a season domestically, the league, the Carling Cup and the FA Cup. There are 20 teams in the Premiership who are trying to win those three things. Winning a trophy is not easy. If it was easy Birmingham City would win one or Aston Villa but it's not.

"We all want silverware and I suppose that's one mark of achievement.

"But, in my time there, salvaging the club and putting it in the top echelon of the Premier League was a stint of real achievement."

Meanwhile, Robson says the experience of being sacked by his boyhood club has not tainted his love of the game, and even at 72 he is itching to get back in the dug out.

He has turned down offers from Sheffield Wednesday and Wolves, among others, and he still hopes one day the right one will come along.

"I like to work. The next day (after being sacked) was a miserable day. I couldn't believe I wasn't getting in the car at ten minutes to eight and heading to Tyneside," he said.

"Hearts offered me the job but George Burley got it in the end. It wasn't really for me. It was a nice offer, financially, but, while I thought about it, it wasn't really for me.

"Derby were also very keen to speak to me and for me to take that over but it didn't suit me either.

"I'm philosophical about it - if it comes I'll be excited, but if it doesn't . . . ''

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