Oxford United’s goalkeeping coach, Alan Hodgkinson, was among the many hundreds of football personalities to pay tribute to Sir Bobby Robson, who died on Friday at the age of 76 following a long fight against cancer.

Hodgkinson and Robson played together for England from 1957-62, and the two were in England’s squad for the World Cup finals in Chile in 1962.

“As a player, he was a very mobile, constructive midfield player, and one who everyone admired,” Hodgkinson said.

“I played with him for England and went to the World Cup in Chile with him. For an event like that you go as a squad, and obviously get to know each other, and we all did that. He was a fine player.

“Along his career he had a great journey, managing some of the best teams in the world, and he was a very respected man.

“In the football world, all of us admired him for his bravery in the last two years in battling against cancer.

“It’s a sad time. Bobby had been at the forefront of football for many, many years. Like myself, I’m sure we would all like to join in celebrating his life in football – he was a great professional.”

Robson went on to win 20 caps as a player, and became even better known as a manager, leading England to the World Cup semi-finals in 1990.

At club level, he cut his managerial teeth at Fulham before establishing his credentials at Ipswich where he won the FA Cup and Uefa Cup in a 13-year stay.

Spells at PSV Eindhoven, Sporting Lisbon, Porto and Barcelona followed before he managed Newcastle.

When he was a player at Fulham, in 1964, he was appointed coach to Oxford University football club, and took the Dark Blues for intensive training sessions on Tuesday afternoons as they built up to the Varsity Match against Cambridge.

Later, as England manager, he also famously visited Oxford, watching two of the Nottingham Forest squad, Neil Webb and Stuart Pearce in a Division 1 match against Oxford United at the Manor when he took time out to make the presentation of the Oxford United Player of the Month award out on the pitch, to John Dreyer.

Current England manager Fabio Capello said: "Sir Bobby was a wonderful man, a real gentleman.

"It's extremely sad that he has lost his final fight against cancer, but he will never be forgotten."

And former Oxford United coach Steve McClaren added: "To be so successful, but to be so loved by everybody throughout his career... that's special and says something.

"The game will be worse for Bobby Robson leaving us"