The legend goes that had Mark Robins not scored to help United on their way to the 1990 FA Cup final, which we went on to win, Sir Alex Ferguson would have been given the sack. This is a story that the manager denies but after almost four years in charge and not a trophy in sight it stands to reason that time might have been running out for the manager.
“The goal at Forest was an important goal, don’t get me wrong, and who’s to say what would have happened without it, but I don’t think it saved my job,” said Ferguson today. “You never know in football. Who’s to say how the club would have reacted if we’d lost and if crowds had tumbled? One thing’s for sure though. Bobby Charlton would not have let it happen. He knows better than anyone the heartbeat of this football club. This football club needed the foundation of youth and we were doing some great work on that side of it. Bobby knew we were on the right road.”
Robins disagrees though and reckons he did save Fergie’s job and appears to be a bit put out that he never got a thank you for it.
“Sir Alex wrote a book and, in it, he was asked the question, ‘Did that goal save his job’?” said Robins. “He wrote that in training I would have missed it – but because I got a push in the back from Stuart Pearce it went in. Excellent. So did I save his job? Yes, I did. But did he ever thank me? No. He has never given me advice. Given the task I had at Rotherham, I don’t think anybody could have helped. But down the line there may be one or two things I’ll need from him.”
Robins should be grateful he got to play for Manchester United football club in the 1st place and should have been thanking the boss every day for the chance to score.
Mark Robins is the first ex-player of Fergie’s I’ve seen who says Sir Alex won’t help him.
I mean,all the other managers say if they need advice,they just call Sir Alex.
Agree with you jandsdad….. get over it Mark, you were a striker, that was your job, your team mates create chances and you finish them. You don’t need to be thanked for that. I don’t get thanked for doing my job.
Like Fergie said, its Robins goal away at Forest in the 3rd round when we won 1-0 that is allegedly ‘the goal that saved his career’, why did you show the semi final goal instead?
Scot, you actually have the wrong goal up.
The goal that saved Fergies job (allegedly), was Robins goal away at Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup 3rd round, not the one you have from the semi final.
Tufty – excatly what I was thinking. Looking forward to seeing Orberton play tonight.
We needed both his goals to get to the final, the one against Forest was a header, I remember watching the game at my mate Suggy;s house and when the goal went in we nicked some of his Dads beer to celebrate.
@theboogeyman: Lee Sharpe’s book is basically one long moan about how Fergie supposedly never gave him advice.
And is not goal shown from the games that gave us the great Denis Irwine, and as such, propably meant more for United the following 12 years?
was it this one
I taught it was forest
could be wrong
It was Forest in the 3rd round!
yey the right goal
ha ha ha
was it really the end for Alex as he was known back then or was that the media
Thats the one Scott. Loving the prophetic words from the commentator at the end…..”some joy at last for Alex Ferguson” How right he was!!!!
Legend is legend though, I don’t think it saved his job and neither does Sir Alex nor then chairman, it eased pressure, we weren’t favourites to win the game but we did anyway, history is history though, no need dwelling on it, if it makes him feel better, let him believe what he wants, it’s not hurting anyone!
what a ball from hughes! blue nose twat
we could go back to goalkeeper Jack Crompton’s magnificent save against Blackpool in the FA Cup final of1948 saving Sir Matt’s job – or the goals from Noel Whiteside or Lee Martin at critical times – it’s just the way the cookie crumbles! I have personally shook hands and chatted with Sir’s Matt and Alex and realised at the time that they were just ordinary people chosen by the ‘big man upstairs’ to guide the greatest club in the world .
Every palyer has the responsibility to be at his best. You get paid for it coz its your job. Mr. Robins, stop sour graping…