SIR Bobby Robson, the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award at last night's BBC Sports Personality of the Year show, today vowed to help Ipswich Town get back into the Premier League.

By Elvin King

SIR Bobby Robson, the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award at last night's BBC Sports Personality of the Year show, today vowed to help Ipswich Town get back into the Premier League.

Despite having a brain tumour removed last year and having restricted movement down his left side, the 74-year-old intends to keep his involvement in football.

The man who led Ipswich to the UEFA Cup and the FA Cup as well as England to a world cup semi-final said: “A lifetime achievement award suggests the next stop is a coffin. Let me assure you, that will not be the case.”

“I am going to be more active in my role as president of Ipswich Town, may stay involved with the Irish FA and continue to watch as many games as possible.”

Charlie Woods, who was Robson's right hand man for many years, is already working as an advisor to Town boss Jim Magilton, and Robson is looking to play some part as well.

He was joined by a number of his former players at Portman Road in the NEC at Birmingham, and they formed a guard of honour along with members of the England 1986 and 1990 World Cup squads.

Robson, who managed Ipswich from 1969 to 1982, has picked his best-ever Ipswich team.

It reads: Cooper; Burley, Butcher, Beattie, Mills; Thijssen, Wark, Gates, Muhren; Mariner, Brazil. Substitutes: Sivell, Hunter, Osman, Talbot, Whymark.

Last night's award recognised Robson's contribution as both player and manager in a career spanning more than half a century.

After the England job, Robson had spells in Europe with PSV Eindhoven, Sporting Lisbon and Barcelona before returning to England to take the helm at Newcastle from 1999 to 2004.

Previous winners of the Lifetime Achievement Award include Bjorn Borg (2006), Pele (2005), Sir Ian Botham (2004), Martina Navratilova (2003), George Best (2002) and Sir Alex Ferguson (2001).