FORMER Newcastle United manager Sir Bobby Robson has been given the all-clear after doctors found lung cancer while treating him after a skiing accident.

It is the third time the 73-year-old, who also managed the England side, has fought the disease.

"Someone up there must like me. I'm the luckiest man alive," said Sir Bobby, who is originally from Langley Park, County Durham, and is an advisor to Republic of Ireland manager Steve Staunton.

"I've had a thorough scan and I'm clean as a whistle," he added.

Having attended hospital for an X-ray and minor operation on his ribs after a skiing accident in Austria in February, a tumour was discovered on his lung.

It was removed in an operation last month at Newcastle Freeman Hospital

"If I hadn't fallen over, I wouldn't have known about the tumour and you don't know what might have happened from there," said Sir Bobby.

"The operation was successful and I'm looking forward to making a full recovery."

Sir Bobby, who overcame bowel cancer in 1992 and mouth cancer in 1995, added: "I was cursing my ski accident at the time because it was so painful.

"But it turned out to be the best thing that could have happened to me. I had no symptoms so, if it hadn't been spotted early, the tumour could have grown."

He will resume duties with the Republic of Ireland later this month and plans to fly to Dublin for Ireland's game against Chile on May 24.