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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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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool1210112481631
2Manchester CityMan City127232217523
3Chelsea126422314922
4Arsenal126422112922
5Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton126422116522
6Tottenham HotspurSpurs1261527131419
7Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest125431513219
8Aston Villa125431919019
9Fulham125341717018
10Newcastle UnitedNewcastle125341313018
11Brentford125252222017
12Manchester UnitedMan Utd124441313016
13Bournemouth124351617-115
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham124351519-415
15Everton122551017-711
16Leicester CityLeicester122461523-810
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves122372028-89
18Ipswich TownIpswich121651323-109
19Crystal Palace121561017-78
20Southampton121110924-154


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