Chronicle Gets Best Out Of Bob

Jimmy Montgomery
WHEN I signed for Sunderland I expected to get my fair share of stick - but not from my own team-mates!

In a more light-hearted moment, Jimmy turned to me and said once: "I didn't used to like you, you know" and I replied: "Why's that?"

He quipped: "Because you played for them, that's why!"

But I have to say that Jimmy is the best goalkeeper I have played alongside.

David Craig
DAVID and Frank Clark arrived on the scene at St James' Park as youngsters, and went on to become major parts of the team.

The full-back was one of the triumphant members of the Fairs Cup-winning squad, and a great defender to play with. Back then we had a real sense of telepathy, and you do need that more than anything when you play in a defence as successful as we had.

Without it we wouldn't have achieved what we did.

John McGrath
I HAVE always been a believer in no-nonsense defending - if you have to clear it, clear it, and if you have to tackle somebody, then tackle them - and John McGrath was Mr No-nonsense.

His uncompromising style made you happy that he was on the same team as you, and he shone during his seven years at St James' Park.

He later went on to be a great manager too and turned Preston around. A true hero in every sense of the word.

Ollie Burton
OLLIE first arrived on the scene after starring against us in an FA Cup tie for Norwich on a day when they beat us 5-0, so it's no surprise Joe Harvey wanted him.

Burton played alongside me at centre-half in the Fairs Cup final in 1969 when we beat a highly-skilled Ujpest Dozsa side over two legs. They boasted a forward by the name of Antal Dunai - who ran the great Eusebio extremely close to winning the European Golden Boot - so I have fond memories of playing alongside Ollie.

Frank Clark
ANOTHER Fairs Cup winner and a real terrace hero, Frank was no stranger to success at home and abroad with both Newcastle and Nottingham Forest.

He offered us so much durability at left-back and, in terms of a full-back pairing, the lad from Consett and David Craig provided the best of the great Joe Harvey era.

He had the difficult task of taking over from Brian Clough when he retired at Forest, but did well. A top pro.

Jimmy Johnstone
I WAS lucky enough to play with him for Scotland, and Johnstone simply oozed talent. He was world-class and everybody who saw him play knew that.

I remember Emlyn Hughes coming off the field having been run ragged in a 2-0 win for Scotland. Emlyn was embarrassed, but Johnstone could do that against anybody on any given day. He also had a great sense of humour.

Tony Green
NICKNAMED the Wonder, Tony was only with us on Tyneside for two short years, but he will still go down as one of the finest players every to wear a United shirt. I will always remember him for his outstanding pace and his reactions, and he was one of the most enthusiastic players of that team.

Perhaps the best memory of Tony was him setting up both goals in our 2-0 win at Old Trafford in 1972 - the last time we won there.

Billy Hughes
I PLAYED alongside Billy at Sunderland later in my career and he was well known for his versatility.

He was an exciting midfielder who could swing games back into your favour and conjure up pieces of magic when you needed them.

Terry Hibbitt
THE song of "Terry Hibbitt on the wing" is still sung - even by the youngsters of today - and Terry would have loved that.

His cultured left foot turned out to be one of the biggest provider of goals during his time at the club, and he had the workrate to match that quality of delivery too.

Maybe he did score only 14 goals for Newcastle during his time at the club, but Terry wasn't a goalscorer and was the man most likely to offer others something on a plate.

Malcolm Macdonald
EVERYONE knows what Supermac was all about - even the younger generation of the United fans - and that was simply goals, goals and more goals.

He was a true 1970s football star and was twice leading scorer of the entire First Division during his time at the club between 1971 and 1976. It is something that the new wave of overseas stars would be proud of these days.

Bryan Pop Robson
YET another Fairs Cup hero and a great Newcastle United goalscorer.

Pop proved to be a real thorn in the side of teams during that time, and rather than give you an overview of his career, allow me to talk about the moment that perhaps summed up why European defences feared him so much.

After we had drawn 1-1 in Lisbon, Pop got the ball 35 yards out from goal in the retunn leg and unleashed an unstoppable volley into the top corner of the net to stun Sporting Lisbon.