Robson is confident of beating throat cancer

Robson, currently managing Thailand after spells in charge of Middlesbrough, Bradford, Sheffield United and West Brom, had the operation in Bangkok on March 3 and is set to start a five-week course of treatment next week.

He said: “(The doctors have) been very positive with what they’ve been telling me.

“I’m over in England for a week and I’ll get a second opinion from a specialist here, but I am quite confident about going back out there and receiving the treatment.

“Fingers crossed everything will be clear within a couple of months.

“When I return to Thailand next week I’ll start on a five-week course of radium treatment and just keep my fingers crossed. They are very good over there on the medical side and they’re very confident that it’s treatable and I should make a recovery.”

The 54-year-old also paid tribute to the speed of the treatment he received in Thailand following his diagnosis.

“I thought I just had a sore throat, so I went into the hospital to see the doctor on the Monday,” he said.

“He diagnosed it straight away, I had the MRI scan on the Tuesday and he operated on me on the Thursday, so that’s how efficient they are over in Thailand.”

Robson, who won 90 caps for his country, also thanked fans for the messages of support he has received since reports of his illness emerged.

He said: “I’ve had a fantastic response from football fans all over the country and Europe since it came out in the media.

“When things like this come up you’ve got to be positive and get on with it.”

Chamber to aid FA Cup recovery for Richards

Micah Richards is to install an oxygen chamber in his house in a bid to be fit for Manchester City’s FA Cup semi-final with Manchester United on April 16.

Richards is a major doubt after suffering a hamstring injury in England Under-21’s hammering of Denmark on Thursday.

Initial speculation suggested the defender would be out of action for a month, wrecking his hopes of helping City reach their first major final since 1981.

However, Richards is not giving up quite so easily.

And as fellow full-back Jerome Boateng seems certain to be out of action after undergoing knee surgery, there is even more importance being placed upon Richards’s battle for fitness.

“I will do anything and everything to be ready for that game,” Richards said.

“I knew straight away what I had done because I heard the dreaded ping. It is a bit sore but I’m hoping it is not too bad.

“Some of the other lads have used an oxygen tent to help them recover more quickly from injuries so I am willing to give it a go.

“I will sleep in the thing if necessary.

“I want to be available for that game against United.

“It is going to be a great occasion.”

League move games to avoid Wembley clash

The FA Cup final has avoided a direct clash with the penultimate round of Barclays Premier League fixtures after they were all moved yesterday to accommodate the Wembley showpiece.

The cup final, which traditionally takes place at the end of the top-flight season, was in danger of being completely overshadowed by a round of Premier League matches on the same weekend.

But that has been mitigated somewhat after the Premier League acted to ensure only three or four of the scheduled eight or nine games would be played on Saturday, May 14.

Those matches will all kick off at 12.45pm, with the cup final itself scheduled to kick off at its traditional time of 3pm.

Two of the four semi-finalists – Manchester United, Manchester City, Bolton and Stoke – will see their Premier League fixtures postponed if they reach the final.

City and Stoke are due to meet that weekend, meaning only their match will be rearranged if they both reach the final.

Any other combination of finalists would see two matches postponed, with all four semi-finalists currently slated to play at 12.45pm on Saturday. Five games were moved to the Sunday, with most kicking-off at 4pm.

The FA Cup final cannot be played any later than May 14 this season as UEFA rules require Wembley must not be used for two weeks prior to the May 28 Champions League final.

Saturday, May 14 (kick-off 12.45pm): Blackburn v Man Utd*, Blackpool v Bolton*, Man City v Stoke*, Sunderland v Wolverhampton, West Brom v Everton.

Sunday, May (kick-off 4pm unless stated): Chelsea v Newcastle (1.30pm), Arsenal v Aston Villa, Birmingham v Fulham, Liverpool v Tottenham, Wigan v West Ham.

* Will be postponed if teams involved reach FA Cup final.