One of England's most loyal football supporters has died just weeks before he was due to watch his heroes at the World Cup in the United States. Brian Robson, 63, from Ashington, Northumberland, was a devoted follower of the Three Lions and had secured a ticket for the final as a reward for his loyalty.
Mr Robson, who worked in a factory, had travelled to matches across the globe, including Serbia, Kosovo, North Macedonia and San Marino. He also attended the World Cups in Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022, as well as several European Championships. He was a prominent member of the England fans' club and often helped organise games for supporters' teams.
He was looking forward to watching England's group stage matches against Ghana in Boston and Panama in New York and New Jersey in June, with the hope of seeing them reach the final. However, he was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer on March 13 and died just 17 days later on March 30.
His son, Lewis, 28, recalled how his father would travel from Newcastle, often via Dublin or Palma, to attend matches. 'It was not just about 90 minutes of football; what made it special for Dad were the friendships and connections he made,' he said.
Brian's close friend and fellow England superfan Garford Beck said: 'Following England will never be the same again for me. I shall miss the laughs and the camaraderie we shared in almost 20 years of real friendship.'
Mr Robson leaves behind his wife Gaynor and sons Lewis and Alex. His funeral will take place on April 29 at Northumberland Woodland Burial and Crematorium in Bockenfield, Morpeth.
