Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has honoured the late Sir Bobby Robson by supporting the auction created in his name.

Sir Bobby's Breakthrough Online Auction is aiming to raise £1m for Breakthrough Breast Cancer, the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and Ipswich and West Suffolk hospitals with the help of numerous sports stars.

Ferguson, who has been painted by artist Ben Mosley in a series of portraits, has offered the winning bidder a trip to watch United against Newcastle United on December 7 at Old Trafford.

"In my 27 years working in England, there is not a person I would put an inch above Bobby Robson," EADT24 quotes Ferguson as saying.

"The world, not just the football world, misses him, as I do. Let's hope it won't be long before another like him turns up because we could never get enough of them."

The winner will also get to meet Ferguson, who has been promoting his new autobiography this week.