A coffee with Charlie Woods

Charlie Woods, the late, great Sir Bobby Robson's trusted chief scout, has revealed how Newcastle United signed Laurent Robert – and missed out on Xabi Alonso.

Charlie Woods served Newcastle United as both chief scout and player. (Pic: Sir Bobby Robson Foundation)

Nicolas Anelka was in no doubt.

The striker had been asked a question about one of his Paris Saint-Germain team-mates.

That player was Laurent Robert, who would become one of the poster boys of Sir Bobby Robson’s Newcastle United team in the early 2000s.