SIR Bobby Robson is calling for football fans to get behind an exciting new venture to raise money for his cancer charity - The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.

The former England manager is hoping for a sell-out crowd when he reunites players from his dazzling 1990 World Cup squad to take on their German counterparts at St. James' Park, Newcastle, on 26 July.

And Three Lions stars Peter Beardsley, Paul Gascoigne, Des Walker, Paul Parker and Steve Hodge are already on the teamsheet.

Arguably Sir Bobby's finest moment came as he led England to the World Cup semi-final in Italy only be cruelly knocked out by West Germany on penalties.

This game, competing for The Sir Bobby Robson Trophy, will give him and his team an opportunity to redress the balance. In addition to reuniting 1990 England and German players, Sir Bobby is also planning on calling on some other very special guests to add to his team and the occasion.

Sir Bobby says: "I'm thrilled at the prospect of re-uniting my 1990 England squad in support of my charity. It will be a pleasure to see them together again and hopefully this time we'll get the result we want against Germany!

"We had a good group of players that year, very talented, very tough and ambitious. We got better as the tournament progressed, more accomplished, and the fact we lost on penalties and not in open play tells its story.

"I found out in World Cup football that some teams, over a long spell, are happy to get knocked out and go home but we weren't like that. We were determined to stay in the competition as long as possible and had great will to win.

"Some players get homesick but we had great staying power in the team and our ambition was to stay to the bitter end. We were so near but far.

Sir Bobby adds: "I'm very grateful to my former players who are coming up to Newcastle to help us raise money for my charity. I'm also very appreciative of the efforts of the German players who have so much further to travel.

"During the World Cup we all had the same aim and that was to win the tournament - but we were on opposing sides. It's very special for me now, all these years later, to know we're all pulling together with the same aim, as the same team, fighting cancer.

"The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation is extremely important to me and I'll keep going just as long as I can to help raise money for the experts trying to find a cure for this terrible disease. I understand one in three of us will be diagnosed with cancer and the effects can be devastating.

"It happened to me in an instant. One minute I was sitting watching the football at Ipswich Town and the next minute I was being told I had a cancerous tumour on my brain. It happened to me like that, in an instant, and it can happen to anyone."

Tickets for The Sir Bobby Robson Trophy are available through Newcastle United's online box office at nufc.co.uk and are priced at £10 for adults and £5 for children.

The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation launched last March (2008) and has raised more than £1.2 million to fight cancer - including a donation of £75,000 from the Football Association.

Incredibly, its initial target of £500,000 to equip a cancer trials research centre at the Northern Centre for Cancer Care in Newcastle was reached in just seven weeks.

This new centre, the Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre, was constructed by the Newcastle upon Tyne NHS Foundation Trust in partnership with the Northern Institute for Cancer Research and Newcastle University.

It is at the forefront of research into cancer and offers patients from across north east England, North Yorkshire and Cumbria access to early trials and potential new treatments.

Working closely with the Imaging Research Centre to improve diagnosis and study the effects of new drugs, often 'first in human' trials, the clinical staff also coordinate trials of new drugs at later stages of development.

In addition to equipping the new centre, The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation has funded two specialist cancer research posts.

To make a donation, view messages of support, or for more information on The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, please visit www.sirbobbyrobsonfoundation.co.uk or donate by sending a cheque to Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, PO Box 307, Heaton NE7 7QG.

All donors will receive a personalised certificate and a letter of thanks from Sir Bobby.

BOBBY BUILDS FROM THE BACK

Former Nottingham Forest central defender Des Walker and Manchester United full back Paul Parker have become the first two players to sign up for The Sir Bobby Robson Trophy: England v Germany, which will be played at Newcastle United's St. James' Park on Sunday July 29^th.

Walker and Parker, both given their England debut's by Robson, kick off an England squad which looks set to include a high number of the former England and Newcastle Manager's Italia '90 squad which ultimately succumbed to Germany, their opponents in late July. It looks like Sir Bobby is keen to get a balanced defence built first before he moves on to add flair and attack to his side.

Event Producer Lester Holcombe confirmed: "It's fantastic news that Des and Paul have agreed to turn out for England against Germany once again. Des and Paul performed superbly for Sir Bobby at international level, particularly at Italia '90 and I'm certain they'll represent their country with great pride again in July. Sir Bobby's a great believer in building from the back and we couldn't wish to have more in terms of quality and application than what these two young men offer."

Walker who made 59 appearances for his country and over 600 top flight appearances for Nottingham Forest, Sheffield Wednesday and Sampdoria, added: "Sir Bobby Robson has given his life to football, so it will be an absolute honour to line up for him and England against Germany at St. James', one of the greatest stadiums to play football anywhee in the world."

Parker, who made 19 England appearances and over 400 top flight starts for the likes of Fulham, Queens Park Rangers and Manchester United, added: "Ask anyone in football and they'll tell you that Sir Bobby is a man who has time for everyone, so when I was asked to play in this game, how could I say anything other than yes? It is going to be a spectacular evening of football and one that I really hope will be a fitting tribute to a true legend of English football."