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Top 20 England players of all time - #9

Sports Mole's countdown of the top 20 England players of all time continues with number nine - Bryan Robson.

Bryan Robson (90 caps, 26 goals)

Bryan Robson in action for England on June 09, 1985.© Getty Images

Had it not been for his lengthy list of injuries, Bryan Robson would most likely have a deserved place among the exclusive club of England centurions.

The box-to-box midfielder was one of the first names on the teamsheet when fit and still managed to accrue 90 caps for his country - a tally which placed him fifth on the all-time list at the time of his retirement.

Sixty-five of those appearances came as captain too, with only Bobby Moore and Billy Wright having led England out on more occasions, and his exploits with the national team and Manchester United earned him the nickname 'Captain Marvel'.

After making his international debut in 1980, Robson was very much a fixture of the first team by the time the 1982 World Cup came along and he got England off to the best possible start with the opening goal after just 27 seconds of their first game against France - a World Cup record which stood until 2002.

Injuries curtailed his role in both the 1986 and 1990 World Cups, though, and he eventually retired in 1991 having scored 26 times in his 90 appearances.

Robson made his name at club level with West Bromwich Albion before a British record transfer to Manchester United, where he helped the team to three FA Cups, the League Cup and the Cup Winners' Cup before lifting the first two Premier League titles.

It speaks volumes for the quality of the tireless Robson that, in 2011, he was voted as Manchester United's greatest ever player from a poll of ex-United players.

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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool108111961325
2Manchester CityMan City1072121111023
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest10541147719
4Chelsea105322012818
5Arsenal105321711618
6Aston Villa105321715218
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs1051422111116
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton104421714316
9Fulham104331413115
10Bournemouth104331312115
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle104331010015
12Brentford104151920-113
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd10334912-312
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham103251319-611
15Leicester CityLeicester102441418-410
16Everton102351017-79
17Crystal Palace10145813-57
18Ipswich TownIpswich100551021-115
19Southampton10118719-124
20Wolverhampton WanderersWolves100371427-133


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