I saved Fergie's job but he didn't say thank you, says Barnsley boss Robins

27 October 2009 19:06
[LNB]Saviour: Mark Robins celebrates his famous goal at Nottingham Forest [LNB]Almost 20 years have passed since Mark Robins scored the goal that, by all accounts,saved Sir Alex Ferguson's job as Manchester United manager.[LNB]'Half a lifetime,' according to the Barnsley boss, which does not bode well for life expectancy in the South Yorkshire town where United play in the Carling Cup tonight.[LNB]Whether Ferguson would have survived beyond January 7, 1990, had his 20-year-old striker not emerged as the unlikely hero in an FA Cup third round tie against Nottingham Forest has been the subject of conjecture ever since.[LNB]Robins has lost count of how many times he has been asked the question, and it is an issue he tried to sidestep again yesterday.[LNB]But, addressing a Barnsley Supporters' Club meeting last week, heoffered a glimpse into his true feelings about a game and a goal thatset Ferguson on the way to the first of 22 major trophies.[LNB] He said: 'Sir Alex wrote a book and in it he was asked if the goal that Mark Robins scored at Forest had kept him in a job?[LNB]'He replied that if I'd had that chance in training I would havemissed it. It was only because I was pushed in the back that I put theball in the net. Excellent![LNB]'So did I save his job? Yes, I bloody did!' 'It's nice that peoplethink of the goal in that way and that I can have that claim, if youlike.'[LNB]It is clear that Robins, 39, is hurt by the suggestion StuartPearce's shove more than his own predatory instinct led to the goalbecause he mentioned it again in passing yesterday. Perhaps that iswhy, unlike so many of Ferguson's former players who havegone into management, he does not stay in contact with his old boss.[LNB]'I spoke to him on a couple of occasions but I'm not a man who picksthe phone up on a regular basis,' he said yesterday. 'He has probablygot enough on his platewithout speaking to me.[LNB]'But did he ever thank me? No.' In fact, Robins revealed he mightnot even have been on the pitch after Ferguson under enormouspressure following three barren yearsat Old Trafford gave him the famous hairdryer treatment during the half-time interval.[LNB]CLICK HERE FOR ALL THE MIDWEEK TEAM NEWS IN THE CARLING CUP'It was because I wouldn't lay the ball back to Brian McClair,' herecalled. 'He was facing the goal and probably would have stuck it inthe net. But, because I was a goalscorer, I backed myself and it wentwide.[LNB]'I was picked to do a job and got on the end of a cross and got apush in the back that enabled me to stick it in the back of the net.[LNB]'Yes, I also scored in the semi-final (against Oldham) but Lee Martin scored the winner in the final. [LNB] Cup crackers: Robins (right) and Mark Hughes after United's 1990 FA Cup triumph[LNB][LNB]'Had we been knocked out at Hereford, what might have happened?Clayton Blackmore scored in that game. We still had to win a trophy andthere was a lot of space between that goal and lifting the FA Cup atWembley after a replay.'[LNB]Robins smiles at the suggestion that Ferguson's offer of athree-year deal was his way of saying thank you, but he still regretshis decision toturn it down and demand a transfer.[LNB]He said: 'I wanted first-team football and I wasn't going to get iton a regular basis. Mark Hughes and Brian McClair were the main two,Dion Dublin had just come in, andthe year after I left Eric Cantona arrived.[LNB]'There would have been a lot of competition but I maybe should have stuck it out a little bit longer.[LNB]  'I'm not bothered if people remember me just for the goal. Notbothered at all, as long as I'm given the tools to do the job atBarnsley.'[LNB]Robins has certainly taken to management well in the last threeyears, some would argue better than any of Ferguson's proteges,considering he would have turned Rotherham into promotion candidatesbut for a crippling 17-point deduction last season, and has performed asimilarly impressive job in his first few months at Barnsley.[LNB]'He has never given me advice,' Robins said. 'Given the task I hadat Rotherham, I don't think anybody could have helped. It was a toughone.[LNB]'But I'm sure, down the line, there may be one or two things I'll need from him.[LNB]'You have to be your own man. You can't try to emulate anyone elsebecause you will fail. 'I'm new to it but I love it. The only thing Ihate as a manager is losing games. Everything else, I can cope with butI cannot stomach losing.'[LNB]Victory over his old boss tonight might not get Ferguson sacked, butit will certainly give people another reason to remember Mark Robins.[LNB] Barnsley 2 Bristol City 3: Johnson's men too strong for 10-man TykesEvra attacks United team-mates, blaming 'poor attitude' for Anfield defeatDavid Beckham set for AC Milan return after AdrianoGalliani reveals deal is '100 per cent certain'MANCHESTER UNITED FC

Source: Daily_Mail