Sir Bobby was like my father, says Terry Butcher

Ex-footballer Terry Butcher has recalled Sir Bobby Robson being like a father to him.

The former defender spoke to the BBC ahead of the publication of a new book about his former Ipswich and England manager.

Almost Immortal looks at Sir Bobby's eight years in charge of the national team and features Butcher – who captained England at the 1990 World Cup – as the main narrator.

"When you're led by someone like that, you have great memories all throughout your career... I felt like he was my father," said the 67-year-old.

"The players loved him, they really loved him.

"He kept getting their names wrong but he loved the players. He was very loyal. He was very honest with them and he got them – he knew which buttons to press."

Sir Bobby gave Butcher his first professional contract at Ipswich in the 1970s and helped improve him as a player.

England lost to West Germany on penalties in that 1990 semi-final, and Sir Bobby left his England role when the Football Association decided not to extend his contract.

"I've had a career where I've always felt like a fraud, like an imposter... [But] I actually got to the [World Cup] semi-final and I thought, 'Yeah, I do deserve to be here'," he said.

Almost Immortal is written with Town fan Neil Prentice, who has worked on books with fellow club legends John Wark and George Burley.

Prentice said the relationship between Sir Bobby and Butcher was not always as "cosy and perfect" as people might think.

"It was quite tense at times," he explained.

Butcher agreed: "He used to have a go at me sometimes, when things weren't going well.

"[It was] because he knew he could have a go at me and I wouldn't bite back. I wouldn't take it as a personal affront because I knew what Bobby meant. I knew what he was doing."

The defender played 77 times for England and made 271 appearances for Ipswich, which was his childhood club while he was growing up in Lowestoft.

He said one of Sir Bobby's greatest talents as a manager was putting players at ease.

"He instilled a sort of camaraderie within the team. He built that spirit where you could sit at any table at any time with any player, not like the cliques they've had before and the cliques they had afterwards," he said.

"It was a great group, and he wanted that group to succeed. He was desperate for England to do well.

"He was just a wonderful guy, and we really, really miss him."

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