Blyth cancer patient meets England manager Gareth Southgate during Sir Bobby Robson Centre visit

The player turned manager was given a tour of the Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre, which is part of the Northern Centre for Cancer Care, on Monday.

He met Ken Preston, 63, from Blyth, who is one of the patients undertaking a clinical trial for a new drug at the centre.

The research centre, named after one of Southgate’s England predecessors, is involved in research and clinical trials as part of UK and international efforts to combat the disease and give hope to people with advanced cancer.

Sir Bobby, who was from County Durham, opened the centre in 2009 and was one of its first patients, before he later died from lung cancer.

Gareth said: “It has been a privilege to visit the centre and see the legacy that Sir Bobby has left here.

“Football is a huge part of the North East and Sir Bobby is an icon of the English game who had a massive impact on the fundraising that has allowed this centre to continue with important trials.

“It was lovely to see Sir Bobby's son Mark again, meet the staff and see the brilliant job they do, but also special to hopefully put a smile on the faces of some of those receiving treatment.”

Sir Bobby, who managed England for eight years, including the 1986 and 1990 World Cups, was first diagnosed with cancer in 1990 and faced cancer five times in total.

He launched the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation in 2008 as part of Newcastle Hospitals Charity with the aim of finding more effective ways to detect and treat the disease, and £20m has been raised since then.

The foundation’s initial aim was to raise £500,000 to equip the cancer trials centre, then under construction at the Freeman Hospital.

It continues to fund trainee posts for a doctor and a nurse specialising in clinical drug trials and specialist posts providing patients with occupational therapy, complementary therapy, and a dietician.

Additionally, the foundation supports young patients with cancer at the Great North Children’s Hospital in Newcastle.

The FA has been a long term supporter of the foundation. Then manager Fabio Capello was in attendance for the centre’s opening to talk about Sir Bobby’s achievements and present a cheque, and FA support has continued since.

Last year there were 400 new adult patient referrals to the Sir Bobby Robson Centre and there are 30 clinical drug trials currently underway. Sir Bobby described his Foundation as his “last and greatest team.”

Newcastle Hospitals Charity director Teri Bayliss said: “To manage The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation is an honour for Newcastle Hospitals Charity.

“We share Sir Bobby’s vision to help find more effective ways to treat and detect cancer, and the legacy he created for the thousands of individual patients that come through the centre is one that we are committed to growing, both now and for the future.”