Alan Pardew: "I played with Lee – I know him very well.
"He's a competitive player, and a runner. He breaks in the box, and gets the odd goal here and there.
"We've got to look out for him. He's been a good player for Birmingham these last couple of years.
"I took him to West Ham after a bad injury to his ankle. He wasn't at his best then because of that. I think now he's injury-free, and that's proven to be important to him.
"With his old club coming, he'll be up for it. It'll be a big game for Lee."
Bowyer has admitted that hearing the Newcastle United fans chant the name of Sir Bobby Robson at St Andrews tomorrow is certain to bring a lump to his throat and has insisted the managerial legend will “live forever”.
Lee Bowyer: “I think they’ll be singing his name for at least as long as I’m still alive anyway.
“He deserves it – he turned the club around when they were struggling.
“He came in and he took them back to where they belonged – fourth or fifth – and they got into the Champions League.
“He did well – Sir Bobby was very good and I definitely had some good times up there.
“I would definitely support a statue of him at St James’ Park. He was a local lad as well.
“He loved the club and he loved footbal,l so having a statue of him would be a good idea.
“Day-in, day-out no matter what the weather was like – and you can imagine that it was much worse than down here in Birmingham – even if there was snow, he would be out there.
“Yes, we had some good times and obviously when Bobby was there he made times easier on the pitch and in training.
“He just brought a smile to your face with his enthusiasm and his hunger for the game.
“I think he was 71 and one pre-season we went to China and he was running alongside us and doing press-ups.
“That enthusiasm alongside his wisdom just rubbed off on everyone.
“He was always smiling, but obviously not when we lost.
“I was just very fortunate to play under him because he had been such a good manager with Barcelona and England. I was very lucky.
“I still speak to Al (Alan Shearer) occasionally, Shay Given, Kieron (Dyer) when I still play against him, Craig Bellamy, Woodgate and Steve Harper.
“So I do still speak to a few of them.”
THE FUNNIEST GEORDIE BOOK OF THE DECADE!
£7.99 (that includes post and packing) AND WE DONATE £1 PER COPY TO THE SIR BOBBY ROBSON CANCER FOUNDATION
The hilarious history of entertaining on the North-East of England Workingmen's club circuit.
The first rung on the ladder of dreams and aspirations, and it sure as hell isn’t Vegas or Madison Square Garden.
If you have never visited a Newcastle Workingmen’s club before, I’m sure the 170-plus pages in this book will be bloody confusing ... and have you in fits of laughter!
It features Sir Bobby Robson, Chubby Brown, and host of Geordie 'legends' just waiting to be discovered.
The Crack: "5 stars - absolute genius!"
The Echo: "I could not put this book down. The sort of Geordie humour the Toon is built on!"
Contact us for a special deal of £7.99 (and that includes post and packing) PLUS £1 goes to Sir Bobby's Cancer Foundation:
Or it is available for £8.99 at Lulu.com:
http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/are-you-affiliated/14302830
