Bryan Robson is returning to West Bromwich Albion after a 23-year absence.
Robson left West Brom in 1981 as one of England's top players to join Manchester United. His departure from the Baggies marked the beginning of a long decline at the club.
PHOTO: AP
His return as manager is supposed to reverse the slide.
PHOTO: EPA
"I had a great eight years here and have a lot of happy memories," Robson said Tuesday after being named to replace Gary Megson, who was fired two weeks ago.
"I think it's a great challenge for me. I'd like to achieve the success I had as a player here."
The former England captain signed a 12-month contract with an option to renew. His assistant will be former Middlesbrough and Sheffield Wednesday defender Nigel Pearson, who left his post as England Under-20 coach.
Megson was fired on Oct. 26 after announcing that he wouldn't stay at the Hawthorns after his contract ends in June. Megson had been in charge of the side for 4 1/2 years and twice guided the club to promotion to the Premier League.
Robson joined West Brom as an apprentice in 1974 and made his league debut at York in April 1975. He scored 46 goals in 249 games for Albion before joining Manchester United.
Robson departed West Brom shortly after manager Ron Atkinson had also left the club for Manchester United.
Demoted from the top flight of English soccer in 1986, West Brom returned to the top flight for the first time in 2002. But the Baggies lasted only one season. This season they're back again but only one point above the relegation zone in the Premier League.
Robson played 90 times for England, including at the 1982, 1986 and 1990 World Cups. He was captain in 65 games for England.
"Bryan was one of our all-time great players," West Brom chairman Jeremy Peace said. "We were impressed with his desire and motivation. He has a strong affinity with the club and our supporters.''
Peace described Robson as the club's "first and unanimous choice." However, former England coach Glenn Hoddle said he was approached by West Brom but said the job did not suit him.
In seven seasons as Middlesbrough's manager, Robson twice guided the side to promotion to the Premier League. His team also reached three cup finals -- losing all three. He left 'Boro in June 2001 after the club finished 14th.
West Brom's next match is at home to Middlesbrough on Sunday.
Robson was lined up to coach the Nigerian national team a year ago, but the deal fell through when officials failed to meet his salary demands. Weeks later, he was named manager at Bradford, but failed in his attempt to save the club from relegation from the old first division.
Asked if he had something to prove, Robson replied: "No, I don't think so. I think my record stands up."
"If I can achieve at this football club what I achieved a Middlesbrough then I'll be quite delighted as a manager."
"I must admit I was disappointed over the last two years not to be offered a job like this."
Italian 17-year-old Arturo Lupoli scored two goals on Tuesday to lead a youth-oriented Arsenal to a 3-1 victory over full-strength Everton, putting the Gunners in the fifth round of the English League Cup.
Arsenal's young side gave the Gunners only their second victory in the last seven games. The Gunners dropped out of first place in the Premier League over the weekend, ceding the No. 1 spot to Chelsea.
In other League Cup games Tuesday: Burnley 0, Tottenham 3; Cardiff 0, Portsmouth 2; Watford 5, Southampton 2.
Thomas Gravesen gave Everton a 1-0 lead in the eighth minute at Highbury. But the lead didn't last long with 18-year-old Dutchman Quincy Owusu-Abeyie equalizing in the 25th. Lupoli scored in the 52nd and again in the 85th to seal the win.
Owusu-Abeyie, who came on as an early substitute, scored on a low shot behind former Arsenal 'keeper Richard Wright. Lupoli scored his first after chipping a ball home off a clever pass from Dutchman Robin van Persie. His second came off a cross from Owusu-Abeyie.
In Tottenham's 3-0 win, Robbie Keane scored two and Jermain Defoe added the other.
Aiyegbeni Yakubu scored two as Portsmouth, another Premier League team, advanced to the fifth round.
Southampton was the only Premier League loser, going down in a poor display against Watford. James Chambers scored two for Watford with others from Bruce Dyer, Hiedar Helguson and Hameur Bouazza. Dexter Blackstock and Brett Ormerod scored for the Saints.
Wycombe Wanderers manager Tony Adams resigned as manager of the struggling League Two side on Tuesday, citing "personal reasons."
Under the former England and Arsenal captain, the club was relegated last season and is now in 17th place in the former third division.
"I believe the team is in early development and it saddens me to have to leave before finishing the job I started," Adams said in a statement.
Wycombe officials declined comment, saying they had not received formal confirmation of his resignation.
Adams took over the Chairboys last November, but the team won only five of its 46 matches and was relegated. This season, Wanderers have won once in their last eight matches.
Assistant coach Pete Cawley is expected to take over the team.
bad blood
Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood says he can't stop manager Arsene Wenger from saying what he thinks.
He also warned it will be tough to patch things up between Wenger and Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson.
"Can you seem them [Wenger and Ferguson] over a cozy dinner?" Hill-Wood said in the Daily Express. "I can't and I wouldn't insist that our manager does anything like that if he doesn't want to."
The Football Association has called a peace meeting between officials of the two clubs in an effort to end the bitter fallout from United's 2-0 win over Arsenal in a highly charged match at Old Trafford on Oct. 24.
After United snapped Arsenal's 49-match unbeaten league streak, players and coaches from both sides scuffled in the stadium tunnel and Ferguson was pelted with soup and pizza.
Wenger was charged by the FA on Monday with improper conduct for calling United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy a "cheat."
"Wenger is a very intelligent man and he says exactly what he thinks," Hill-Wood said. "If Wenger believes that van Nistelrooy is a cheat he is going to say so, and if the FA doesn't like it that's up to them."
`moment of madness'
Blackburn striker Jay Bothroyd apologized Tuesday for kicking Norwich's Mattias Jonson in a "moment of madness."
Bothroyd, who is on loan from Perugia, was sent off for the incident in Saturday's 1-1 draw.
"I lost my head in a moment of madness," he said. "As soon as it happened I couldn't believe what I'd done. He'd been kicking me a bit and getting under my skin, but that's no excuse."
Kieron Dyer eager
Newcastle midfielder Kieron Dyer says he's eager to show his commitment to the club after falling out with previous manager Bobby Robson.
Dyer has been sidelined since mid-September with a hamstring injury, missing 11 matches. He's been included in the squad for Wednesday's League Cup match with Chelsea.
"There has been some recent criticism about me in the press and that has hurt," Dyer said. "I am fully committed to this football club and want to show the manager and the fans that is the case."
Dyer angered Robson and Newcastle fans when he refused to play on the right side of midfield earlier in the season.
Subsequent apologies have failed to gain Dyer much sympathy. New manager Graeme Souness, who took over Sept. 13, is reportedly considering selling Dyer in January to strengthen the club's defense.
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