Robert sorrow at Robson exit

Newcastle's Laurent Robert is sad to see Sir Bobby Robson go.

Robson was dismissed after five years at the helm at St James' Park, and Robert was sorry to see him leave.

"When he told us the news during a training session he had tears in his eyes and a lump in his throat," Robert told L'Equipe.

"He was sorry because he was so attached to the club. It was his club, the one of his father too.

"He hired me and we had worked together for four years so I was really mad.

"Here he was a great man, respected by everyone.

"He just asked us to go on working."

Meanwhile, chairman Freddy Shepherd admitted sacking Robson was one of the hardest decisions he has made in football.

"It was a tough decision to part company with Bobby, one of the toughest I've had to make," Shepherd told the club's official website.

"We spoke of our admiration for the man in the statement we released on Monday when we announced the decision, and it is very upsetting when you part company with a great guy like Bobby. But in situations like this there is no room for sentiment.

"We thank Bobby for the job he did in his five years at the club, but we have to look forward now.

"This business is driven by results on the field, and they were not good enough. That's why we had to make the decision.

"The search begins now for a new manager."