NUFC host Justin Lockwood shared some interesting stories from the Sir Bobby Robson era on the Newcastle United Total Sport podcast. Sir Bobby took over as manager in September 1999, guiding the team from the bottom of the Premier League to the heights of Champions League and Uefa Cup football.
Lockwood revealed that during Champions League trips, both Sir Bobby and Alan Shearer were treated like rockstars. Whenever they got off the bus, they were greeted by hundreds of fans waiting for them at the airport terminals. It would often take an hour just to get through customs and onto the bus, as they were swarmed by admirers.
Interestingly, the fan frenzy wasn’t limited to just major footballing cities. Lockwood recalled a time when they landed at Sarajevo Airport and had to spend a good two hours navigating through the crowds of people who had turned up to see the Newcastle players. The popularity of the team under Sir Bobby was truly remarkable.
For more fascinating stories from the Sir Bobby Robson era, make sure to listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds.